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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 · tube · current · saw · plane · pit · net · stick

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. net — after costs
  6. current — electric
  7. net — for catching
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. saw — the tool
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — in a race
  14. board — to get on
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — a container
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. board — a committee
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — of water
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. net — in sport

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