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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: plane · bear · fine · racket · bat · bulb · arm · pass

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bulb — for light
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bat — the animal
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. fine — all right
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. plane — a tool
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bulb — of a plant

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