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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. board — to get on
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. board — a committee
  9. press — a publisher
  10. key — in music
  11. bore — to tire
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. key — the most important part
  14. press — to push
  15. key — for a lock
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. plane — a tool
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. press — newspapers
  24. plane — in geometry

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