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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mark — a grade
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a trace
  7. present — there
  8. rock — music
  9. swing — music
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. present — the time now
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. present — a gift
  14. board — to get on
  15. row — a line
  16. rock — a stone
  17. swing — to play on
  18. dip — to sink
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. board — a committee
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. swing — in golf

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