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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. rule — a law
  5. content — the amount
  6. staff — a stick
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. mark — a trace
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. craft — boats
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. board — a committee
  14. staff — employees
  15. object — to protest
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. content — happy
  18. staff — employees
  19. object — a thing
  20. mark — a grade
  21. object — an aim
  22. board — to get on
  23. plane — a tool
  24. rule — government

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