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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. tube — a container
  4. bass — low music
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bore — to drill
  7. wound — an injury
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pitch — completely
  10. board — to get on
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. toast — bread
  13. wound — an injury
  14. plane — a tool
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bass — the fish
  17. board — a committee
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — gave birth

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