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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 116 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: plane · racket · present · deal · staff · dip · prune · cap

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. cap — a hat
  3. dip — to sink
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. present — there
  7. staff — employees
  8. deal — to handle
  9. staff — a stick
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. cap — of ice
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — a tool
  16. prune — to trim
  17. present — the time now
  18. cap — a lid
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. present — a gift
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. staff — employees

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