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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 120 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 · ball · mouse · bat · press · fine · stock · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bat — the animal
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. press — newspapers
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. kick — in football
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fine — high quality
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. fine — all right
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. stock — shares
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. press — a publisher
  20. press — to push
  21. plane — a tool
  22. stock — goods
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ball — a great time

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