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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. plane — a tool
  3. stock — goods
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. row — to paddle
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. capital — a city
  12. pit — in a race
  13. board — a committee
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. stock — shares
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — in a road
  19. row — a line
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. capital — money
  24. mouse — the animal

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