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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · file · mate · face · plane · club · present · pit

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. club — for dancing
  3. mate — a friend
  4. file — a tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pit — in a race
  7. face — to point toward
  8. file — a line of people
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — there
  11. mate — a partner
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. club — for golf
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. face — to confront
  18. file — a document
  19. face — part of the head
  20. present — the time now
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pit — a hole
  23. club — a group
  24. mate — to breed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com