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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.

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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: board · bat · pass · tube · plane · pound · dip · key

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a committee
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. pound — a weight
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. key — in music
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. plane — a tool
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. key — the most important part
  13. dip — to sink
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — the underground
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bat — the animal
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pound — for dogs

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