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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: saw · fine · rush · plane · racket · bark · ball · rest

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bark — to shout
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. plane — a tool
  10. rest — a break
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. fine — all right
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. saw — the tool
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. rest — what's left

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