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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. mate — a friend
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. board — a committee
  7. drill — a practice
  8. mate — to breed
  9. wound — an injury
  10. shower — rain
  11. plane — a tool
  12. wound — an injury
  13. drill — army training
  14. board — to get on
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. drill — the tool
  17. chip — for betting
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. chip — to eat
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. shower — to wash
  22. mate — a partner
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stem — to come from

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