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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  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. rash — hasty
  2. staff — employees
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. band — a music group
  11. saw — the tool
  12. board — to get on
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. band — a ring
  17. staff — employees
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rash — a series
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. board — a flat piece
  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