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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. cue — a hint
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. scale — size or range
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. fork — in a road
  8. scale — in music
  9. file — a tool
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. cue — a signal
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. plane — a tool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. board — a committee
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. file — a document
  24. cue — for pool

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