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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. drill — a practice
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bound — certain
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. board — to get on
  7. drill — army training
  8. plane — a tool
  9. chip — for betting
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — to rob
  14. chip — to eat
  15. board — a committee
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. bound — tied together
  19. drill — the tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bound — obliged
  24. mine — for digging

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