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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
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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: cap · bay · row · plane · saw · net · land · deal

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. deal — to handle
  3. cap — a hat
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. row — to paddle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — ground
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. saw — the tool
  14. cap — of ice
  15. land — a country
  16. net — in sport
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. plane — a tool
  19. row — a line
  20. net — for catching
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. net — after costs
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. saw — the tool

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