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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — in music
  5. plane — a tool
  6. board — a committee
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. lie — to recline
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. squash — the sport
  18. pass — a permit
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. squash — to crush
  22. board — to get on
  23. bat — the animal
  24. lie — an untruth

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