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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. bore — to tire
  5. plane — a tool
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. band — a music group
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. roll — a cake
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. band — a ring
  13. board — a committee
  14. roll — a list
  15. cue — a signal
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. cue — for pool
  18. board — to get on
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. fall — to drop
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bore — to drill
  24. cue — a hint

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