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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. board — a committee
  3. suit — to fit
  4. board — to get on
  5. season — of the year
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. season — in sport
  10. suit — in cards
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. cap — a hat
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. cap — a lid
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. cap — of ice
  20. suit — clothes
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. plane — in geometry

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