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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: mouse · scale · plane · clip · deal · pit · pound · board

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pit — a hole
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a committee
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. clip — to cut
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. clip — a video
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. plane — a tool
  12. scale — in music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. scale — size or range
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pound — a weight
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. clip — for paper
  21. deal — to handle
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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