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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 120 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. board — a committee
  4. mug — a cup
  5. capital — money
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wind — moving air
  8. capital — a city
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — the underground
  11. wind — moving air
  12. band — a ring
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. tube — a container
  15. board — to get on
  16. mug — a face
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. plane — a tool
  24. mug — to rob

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