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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. spring — the season
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. cue — a signal
  6. row — a line
  7. board — to get on
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. row — to paddle
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cue — for pool
  12. face — to point toward
  13. spring — of water
  14. face — part of the head
  15. plane — a tool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. spring — a coil
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. face — to confront

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