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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bore — to tire
  6. scale — in music
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bore — to drill
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. snap — to click
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — a container
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. scale — size or range
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. board — a committee
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. tube — the underground
  24. fan — a supporter

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