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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. plane — a tool
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. kick — in football
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. present — the time now
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mark — a trace
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. board — a committee
  13. band — a ring
  14. board — to get on
  15. present — a gift
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. mark — a grade
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. band — a music group
  24. present — there

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