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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. board — a committee
  3. court — for sport
  4. toast — bread
  5. track — a song
  6. track — a path
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. snap — to click
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. track — to keep track
  20. plane — a tool
  21. court — of law
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. court — of a king

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