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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: mouse · saw · plane · racket · stand · lean · band · shower

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. saw — the tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. plane — a tool
  9. band — a music group
  10. saw — the tool
  11. shower — rain
  12. lean — thin
  13. stand — to bear
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. shower — to wash
  18. lean — to bend
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. band — a ring
  24. stand — on your feet

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