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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. board — to get on
  3. pass — a permit
  4. cold — not warm
  5. board — a committee
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. cell — a phone
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. firm — a company
  14. cold — an illness
  15. race — humankind
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. firm — decided
  18. cell — in biology
  19. bank — of a river
  20. firm — steady
  21. race — a contest
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. race — the arms race
  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