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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bore — to drill
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a committee
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. lean — to bend
  14. club — for dancing
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. club — for golf
  18. tube — a container
  19. bulb — for light
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. tube — the underground
  22. kid — child
  23. club — a group
  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