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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. board — a committee
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. board — to get on
  5. scale — size or range
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. plane — a tool
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. scale — in music
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. tube — the underground
  21. saw — the tool
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. tube — a container

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