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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. rash — a series
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. spell — letters
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mate — to breed
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. board — to get on
  12. spell — magic
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. board — a committee
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rash — hasty
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — a friend
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. spell — a short time
  24. calf — of the leg

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