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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 120 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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. board — to get on
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. firm — a company
  6. fall — to drop
  7. drill — army training
  8. firm — steady
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. board — a committee
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. shower — rain
  16. fall — the season
  17. shower — to wash
  18. drill — the tool
  19. fall — to drop
  20. firm — decided
  21. rule — government
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. drill — a practice
  24. rule — a law

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