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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. present — there
  3. plane — a tool
  4. board — a committee
  5. court — of a king
  6. board — to get on
  7. land — to come down
  8. land — a country
  9. court — of law
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. press — newspapers
  12. present — a gift
  13. pop — to visit
  14. court — for sport
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. lie — to recline
  17. press — to push
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pop — soda
  20. present — the time now
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. land — ground
  23. press — a publisher
  24. pop — music

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