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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. plane — a tool
  3. season — in sport
  4. tube — a container
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. board — to get on
  11. staff — employees
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bulb — for light
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bulb — for light
  19. board — a committee
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. band — a music group

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