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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. track — a path
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. track — to keep track
  5. staff — a stick
  6. can — a tin
  7. board — to get on
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. board — a committee
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. can — a tin
  14. staff — employees
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. track — a song
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — a box
  19. plane — a tool
  20. can — to be able to
  21. staff — employees
  22. bound — obliged
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — boats

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