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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. board — to get on
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — in music
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. wound — an injury
  11. suit — clothes
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. kid — to tease
  19. mine — for digging
  20. wound — an injury
  21. kid — child
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. pitch — completely

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