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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 120 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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. object — to protest
  3. suit — clothes
  4. tube — the underground
  5. board — to get on
  6. tear — from crying
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. tube — a container
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. suit — in cards
  15. tear — to rip
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. object — an aim
  18. tear — from crying
  19. suit — to fit
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. board — a committee
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. object — a thing

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