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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · tube · field · row · toast · board · pit · mate

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. mate — a partner
  4. saw — the tool
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. toast — bread
  7. tube — a container
  8. field — farmland
  9. field — for sport
  10. board — a committee
  11. pit — a hole
  12. tube — the underground
  13. mate — a friend
  14. field — a subject
  15. row — to paddle
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. row — a line
  19. board — to get on
  20. mate — to breed
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. pit — in a race
  24. toast — the most admired

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