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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. squash — to crush
  3. lie — to recline
  4. stem — to come from
  5. race — humankind
  6. board — to get on
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. race — a contest
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. suit — clothes
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. club — for golf
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. squash — the sport
  17. suit — to fit
  18. race — the arms race
  19. club — for dancing
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. plane — a tool
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. club — a group
  24. suit — in cards

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