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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. season — of the year
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. board — a committee
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. cap — a hat
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cold — not warm
  16. board — to get on
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. cap — of ice
  19. season — in sport
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cold — an illness

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