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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. staff — employees
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. last — to go on
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. spell — a short time
  7. last — final
  8. spell — letters
  9. staff — employees
  10. cue — a hint
  11. can — a tin
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. cue — for pool
  14. staff — a stick
  15. last — finally
  16. can — a tin
  17. dip — to sink
  18. cue — a signal
  19. spell — magic
  20. board — to get on
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. can — to be able to
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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