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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. board — a committee
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. plane — a tool
  6. craft — boats
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — a division
  9. current — of water
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. board — to get on
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. craft — a skill
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. vault — a safe
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. current — electric
  22. current — happening now
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — out of danger

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