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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: land · mouse · roll · kick · firm · plane · spell · bore

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. spell — a short time
  3. firm — steady
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. firm — decided
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. firm — a company
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. spell — magic
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. land — to come down
  16. kick — in football
  17. spell — letters
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bore — to tire
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. roll — a list
  23. land — ground
  24. land — a country

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