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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. chip — to eat
  3. drill — army training
  4. roll — a cake
  5. drill — the tool
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. lie — to recline
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. roll — a list
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. plane — a tool
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. chip — for betting
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. drill — a practice
  21. board — a committee
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stem — to come from
  24. perch — the fish

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