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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — to get on
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. plane — a tool
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. club — for golf
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. roll — a cake
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. roll — a list
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pass — a permit
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. club — for dancing
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. club — a group
  24. calf — a young animal

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