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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. ground — the earth
  3. deal — to handle
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. board — a committee
  7. ground — crushed
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. plane — a tool
  11. ground — a position
  12. lean — thin
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fine — all right
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. fine — high quality
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lean — to bend
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mine — for digging

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