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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 120 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — music
  6. board — to get on
  7. present — a gift
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. wind — moving air
  10. charge — in control
  11. board — a committee
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. present — the time now
  15. charge — a price
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. chair — a leader
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. wind — moving air
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. present — there

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