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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. board — to get on
  3. press — to push
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. tube — a container
  10. press — newspapers
  11. pound — a weight
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. mark — a grade
  15. rest — a break
  16. tube — the underground
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rest — what's left
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mark — a trace
  23. press — a publisher
  24. board — a committee

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