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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. board — to get on
  3. branch — a division
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. charge — in control
  6. drill — a practice
  7. tube — the underground
  8. firm — a company
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. firm — decided
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. tear — from crying
  14. charge — electricity
  15. drill — army training
  16. tear — from crying
  17. charge — a price
  18. tube — a container
  19. drill — the tool
  20. plane — a tool
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. tear — to rip
  23. board — a committee
  24. tube — in a tire

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