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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 · present · bore · spell · roll · pit · club · firm

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. firm — steady
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bore — to tire
  7. spell — a short time
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. roll — a list
  10. firm — decided
  11. roll — a cake
  12. spell — magic
  13. present — the time now
  14. spell — letters
  15. plane — a tool
  16. pit — in a race
  17. club — for dancing
  18. firm — a company
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. club — a group
  21. bore — to drill
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — there
  24. club — for golf

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