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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. fork — in a road
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ground — the earth
  6. board — to get on
  7. swing — in golf
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. present — a gift
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — to play on
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. present — there
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. ground — a position
  16. plane — a tool
  17. board — a committee
  18. fork — to eat with

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