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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. plane — a tool
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. board — to get on
  11. tear — to rip
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. object — a thing
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — an aim
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. tear — from crying
  23. row — to paddle
  24. tear — from crying

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