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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. staff — a stick
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. scale — size or range
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. stock — goods
  9. tube — the underground
  10. stock — shares
  11. staff — employees
  12. mine — for digging
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — to get on
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — in music
  20. staff — employees
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. tube — a container
  24. plane — a tool

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