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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  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. squash — to crush
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. ground — the earth
  4. bear — the animal
  5. field — a subject
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. staff — employees
  9. field — for sport
  10. board — a committee
  11. field — farmland
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. plane — a tool
  14. staff — employees
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. ground — crushed
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bear — the animal
  19. ground — a position
  20. staff — a stick
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. squash — the sport
  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