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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. swing — to play on
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bank — for money
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. root — of a word
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bank — of a river
  10. fall — the season
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bank — for money
  13. root — the cause
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. swing — music
  16. fall — to drop
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. board — to get on
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. row — to paddle
  22. swing — in golf
  23. root — of a plant
  24. row — a line

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