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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. mug — a face
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. mate — a friend
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. drill — the tool
  9. mug — to rob
  10. drill — a practice
  11. mug — a cup
  12. plane — a tool
  13. press — a publisher
  14. board — to get on
  15. drill — army training
  16. mate — a partner
  17. board — a committee
  18. mate — to breed
  19. stock — goods
  20. row — to paddle
  21. stock — shares
  22. press — to push
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. press — newspapers

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