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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. net — after costs
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. band — a music group
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. band — a ring
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cell — a phone
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. net — in sport
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. net — for catching
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — to get on

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