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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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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: racket · hand · bear · lean · rock · pit · mark · plane

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. lean — to rest against
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bear — the animal
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pit — in a race
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bear — the animal
  10. lean — thin
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. hand — in cards
  13. pit — a hole
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. mark — a trace
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. lean — to bend
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — music
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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