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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  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. plane — an aircraft
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cue — a signal
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. cue — for pool
  9. fall — to drop
  10. plane — a tool
  11. fall — the season
  12. scale — in music
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — a series
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. cue — a hint
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. rash — hasty
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. scale — size or range
  22. board — a committee
  23. fall — to drop
  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