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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
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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: spring · staff · deal · saw · plane · mine · board · can

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. board — to get on
  4. can — to be able to
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. spring — of water
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. can — a tin
  12. mine — for digging
  13. can — a tin
  14. staff — employees
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. staff — a stick
  17. plane — a tool
  18. deal — to handle
  19. spring — the season
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. staff — employees
  22. spring — a coil
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. board — a committee

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