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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  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. net — in sport
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. plane — a tool
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. content — happy
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. race — humankind
  10. firm — decided
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — boats
  13. content — the amount
  14. firm — a company
  15. board — a committee
  16. net — for catching
  17. race — the arms race
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. net — after costs
  20. wake — a trail
  21. craft — a skill
  22. firm — steady
  23. race — a contest
  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