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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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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — to shout
  6. fall — the season
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — to breed
  11. board — to get on
  12. mate — a friend
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. present — the time now
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — there
  18. board — a committee
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. fall — to drop
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. date — on the calendar

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