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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — a line
  8. rock — a stone
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. deal — to handle
  11. board — to get on
  12. mate — a partner
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mate — a friend
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — an injury
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. rock — music
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. plane — a tool
  23. board — a committee
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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