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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: plane · net · pop · toast · racket · cue · mine · lean

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. cue — for pool
  3. net — for catching
  4. lean — thin
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. toast — bread
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. cue — a signal
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — music
  14. cue — a hint
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. net — in sport
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. lean — to bend
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pop — to visit
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. mine — for digging

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