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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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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 · board · can · fine · land · tube · pitcher · sharp

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — a container
  5. land — ground
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. land — to come down
  10. can — a tin
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. can — a tin
  16. fine — all right
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a committee
  20. fine — high quality
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — clever
  23. can — to be able to
  24. tube — the underground

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