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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. chair — a leader
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. plane — a tool
  8. cue — for pool
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cap — of ice
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. board — a committee
  22. snap — to click
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. board — to get on

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