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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fall — the season
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. club — a group
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. shower — to wash
  12. pass — a permit
  13. club — for dancing
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. plane — a tool
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bear — the animal
  19. shower — rain
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. club — for golf
  22. fall — to drop
  23. lean — thin
  24. board — to get on

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