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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. pound — a weight
  6. cue — a hint
  7. plane — a tool
  8. board — to get on
  9. cue — for pool
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. wax — to grow
  14. row — to paddle
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. fork — in a road
  18. cue — a signal
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. board — a committee
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. safe — out of danger

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