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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.

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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. scale — size or range
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. board — to get on
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. scale — in music
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. plane — a tool
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mug — a face
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mug — a cup
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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