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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — steady
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. face — part of the head
  8. roll — a cake
  9. kid — child
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. face — to confront
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. kid — to tease
  14. march — the month
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. march — the month
  17. plane — a tool
  18. board — a committee
  19. roll — a list
  20. board — to get on
  21. march — music
  22. face — to point toward
  23. firm — a company
  24. board — a flat piece

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