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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. rash — hasty
  3. board — to get on
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. lie — to recline
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — the season
  12. object — an aim
  13. rush — hurry
  14. object — to protest
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. branch — a division
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. plane — a tool
  21. fall — to drop
  22. board — a committee
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rash — a series

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