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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: march · object · prune · plane · deal · racket · nail · bowl

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. object — a thing
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. march — the month
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. object — an aim
  9. deal — to handle
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. march — the month
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. object — to protest
  22. march — music
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. prune — to trim

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