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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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. game — a match
  5. board — a committee
  6. firm — decided
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. firm — a company
  11. board — to get on
  12. pop — to visit
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. key — in music
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. pop — music
  20. firm — steady
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pop — soda
  24. game — wild animals

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