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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. craft — boats
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. board — to get on
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. plane — a tool
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — rain
  15. chair — a leader
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — all right
  18. board — a committee
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. craft — a skill
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. chair — a professorship

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