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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: net · cap · racket · rest · toast · prune · plane · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rest — what's left
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. plane — a tool
  6. prune — to trim
  7. cap — a lid
  8. net — for catching
  9. cap — a hat
  10. net — after costs
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. cap — of ice
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — bread
  20. rush — hurry
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. net — in sport

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