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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. board — a committee
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. plane — a tool
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — in football
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. capital — money
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. capital — a city
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. rock — music
  17. rest — a break
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. saw — the tool
  21. board — to get on
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. rest — what's left
  24. plane — an aircraft

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