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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. board — a committee
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. season — of the year
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bore — to drill
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. board — to get on
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to point toward
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. face — to confront
  19. swing — to play on
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. swing — music
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. swing — in golf
  24. season — in sport

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