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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. plane — a tool
  3. board — to get on
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. staff — employees
  6. court — for sport
  7. staff — employees
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. court — of law
  10. staff — a stick
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. can — a tin
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. pitch — completely
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. board — a committee
  22. can — to be able to
  23. court — of a king
  24. pitch — a sports field

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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