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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
468
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 · tear · club · racket · season · present · squash · sharp

  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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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. plane — in geometry
  4. present — a gift
  5. squash — to crush
  6. tear — from crying
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. club — for golf
  9. present — the time now
  10. tear — from crying
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. season — of the year
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. sharp — clever
  15. squash — the sport
  16. tear — to rip
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. present — there
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. club — a group
  23. season — in sport
  24. club — for dancing

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