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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. scale — size or range
  3. tear — from crying
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. tear — to rip
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. club — for dancing
  8. tear — from crying
  9. club — a group
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. drill — army training
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. plane — a tool
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. scale — in music
  18. drill — the tool
  19. board — to get on
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. club — for golf

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