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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 116 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  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. hide — animal skin
  2. spring — the season
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. board — a committee
  5. mate — a friend
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. plane — a tool
  8. spring — a coil
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mate — to breed
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. mate — a partner
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — a hole
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pit — in a race
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. spring — of water
  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