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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. plane — a tool
  3. chair — a leader
  4. drill — the tool
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. field — for sport
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. drill — army training
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. drill — a practice
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. field — a subject
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. board — to get on
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. field — farmland
  23. board — a committee
  24. chair — a professorship

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