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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.

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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: club · mark · plane · mug · bear · toast · cap · net

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. club — a group
  3. net — for catching
  4. net — in sport
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. cap — of ice
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. mug — a cup
  11. club — for golf
  12. net — after costs
  13. cap — a hat
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — bread
  16. mark — a trace
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bear — the animal
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mug — to rob
  22. cap — a lid
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mark — a grade

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