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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. file — a tool
  3. board — a committee
  4. race — a contest
  5. cue — a hint
  6. saw — the tool
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. board — to get on
  10. cue — a signal
  11. race — humankind
  12. race — the arms race
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. file — a line of people
  16. plane — a tool
  17. file — a document
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. content — the amount
  21. content — happy
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. plane — in geometry

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