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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — a face
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. board — a committee
  8. object — a thing
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. object — an aim
  11. board — to get on
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mug — to rob
  19. band — a ring
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. perch — the fish
  22. band — a music group
  23. object — to protest
  24. pitcher — a jug

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