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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: present · leaves · file · net · bear · plane · pitcher · sharp

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bear — the animal
  3. present — a gift
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a document
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bear — the animal
  8. present — there
  9. plane — a tool
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. file — a line of people
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. sharp — clever
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — for catching
  20. present — the time now
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bear — to put up with

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