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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · kid · patient · fine · straw · foot · can · net

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. can — a tin
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. kid — to tease
  9. can — to be able to
  10. plane — a tool
  11. kid — child
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. net — after costs
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. net — in sport
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. fine — high quality
  19. foot — a measure
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. can — a tin
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. fine — all right
  24. straw — a straw man

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