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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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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 · nail · charge · rest · kick · pitcher · racket · fork

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. plane — a tool
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. charge — in control
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. charge — a price
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fork — in a road
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rest — what's left
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. fork — to eat with

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