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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. key — in music
  3. board — to get on
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. charge — electricity
  7. rash — hasty
  8. wound — an injury
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wound — an injury
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. field — for sport
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — farmland
  21. charge — a price
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rash — a series
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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