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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. plane — a tool
  3. board — to get on
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. track — a song
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. spring — a coil
  9. band — a music group
  10. spring — of water
  11. board — a committee
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — of ice
  14. band — a ring
  15. track — to keep track
  16. cap — a lid
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. spring — the season
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. charge — in control

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