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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — to breed
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. plane — a tool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bound — tied together
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mate — a partner
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. current — of water
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. board — a committee
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. bound — certain
  20. land — ground
  21. bound — obliged
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. land — a country
  24. plane — an aircraft

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