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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. plane — a tool
  3. board — to get on
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. board — a committee
  6. bore — to tire
  7. capital — a city
  8. bore — to drill
  9. club — for golf
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pop — music
  12. club — for dancing
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. pop — to visit
  17. swing — in golf
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. pop — soda
  20. capital — money
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — to play on
  24. club — a group

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