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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 124 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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. suit — clothes
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. fall — to drop
  6. suit — to fit
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. board — to get on
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. fall — the season
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. key — in music
  15. board — a committee
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. suit — in cards
  18. plane — a tool
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. key — the most important part
  21. squash — to crush
  22. fall — to drop
  23. key — for a lock
  24. pitcher — a jug

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