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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 116 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rock — a stone
  5. ball — a dance
  6. game — wild animals
  7. rock — music
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. plane — a tool
  15. ball — a great time
  16. board — to get on
  17. fall — the season
  18. game — a match
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. board — a committee
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mark — a grade
  24. board — a flat piece

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