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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 120 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. foot — a measure
  3. board — a committee
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. board — to get on
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bound — tied together
  10. present — a gift
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. prune — to trim
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stand — to bear
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bound — obliged
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bound — certain
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. present — there
  21. present — the time now
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. board — a flat piece
  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