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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 124 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. drill — the tool
  3. field — a subject
  4. plane — a tool
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. can — to be able to
  7. drill — a practice
  8. board — to get on
  9. can — a tin
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. board — a committee
  13. drill — army training
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. field — farmland
  16. can — a tin
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. file — a tool
  19. file — a line of people
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. field — for sport
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. file — a document

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