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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. mine — for digging
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. board — a committee
  5. wake — a trail
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. fine — all right
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. key — the most important part
  12. stand — to bear
  13. plane — a tool
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. key — for a lock
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. fine — high quality
  20. board — to get on
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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