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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. board — to get on
  5. drill — a practice
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — a skill
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. board — a committee
  15. drill — army training
  16. saw — the tool
  17. plane — a tool
  18. content — happy
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. content — the amount
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. saw — the tool
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. craft — boats

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