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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. drill — the tool
  3. pitch — completely
  4. board — a committee
  5. perch — the fish
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mug — to rob
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. drill — a practice
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mug — a face
  24. drill — army training

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