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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 116 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. field — a subject
  4. field — for sport
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. plane — a tool
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. rush — hurry
  14. field — farmland
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. board — a committee
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pitch — completely
  24. plane — an aircraft

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