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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. firm — a company
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. plane — a tool
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. firm — steady
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. board — to get on
  19. sharp — clever
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mate — a partner
  23. board — a committee
  24. plane — an aircraft

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