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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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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: tube · net · firm · plane · march · racket · season · suit

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. net — after costs
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. firm — decided
  5. suit — to fit
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. march — the month
  10. suit — in cards
  11. march — the month
  12. march — music
  13. net — in sport
  14. suit — clothes
  15. firm — a company
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. plane — a tool
  18. firm — steady
  19. season — in sport
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. net — for catching
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — a container

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