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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. present — a gift
  4. plane — a tool
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. board — a committee
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rock — a stone
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. present — there
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. lie — to recline
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rock — music
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. board — to get on

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