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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.

Make a worksheet

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: racket · plane · mouse · fan · suit · saw · wind · court

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. suit — to fit
  6. plane — a tool
  7. court — of law
  8. suit — clothes
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. court — of a king
  19. wind — moving air
  20. court — for sport
  21. suit — in cards
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wind — moving air
  24. plane — in geometry

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