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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 is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. board — to get on
  3. kid — to tease
  4. kick — in football
  5. track — to keep track
  6. firm — decided
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. kid — child
  10. pit — a hole
  11. land — to come down
  12. firm — steady
  13. land — a country
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. pit — in a race
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. land — ground
  21. board — a committee
  22. track — a path
  23. firm — a company
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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