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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 124 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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. kid — child
  8. plane — a tool
  9. staff — employees
  10. pass — a permit
  11. kid — to tease
  12. saw — the tool
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a committee

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