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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bound — certain
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. game — a match
  6. board — a committee
  7. mate — a partner
  8. scale — size or range
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. board — to get on
  14. scale — in music
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bound — tied together
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. mate — to breed
  20. game — wild animals
  21. stand — to bear
  22. mate — a friend
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bound — obliged

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