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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. board — a committee
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pitch — completely
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. cold — not warm
  10. plane — a tool
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. cold — an illness
  13. board — to get on
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. can — a tin
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. can — a tin
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bulb — for light

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