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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 120 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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. board — to get on
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to click
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. mug — to rob
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. can — to be able to
  9. race — the arms race
  10. stem — to come from
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. race — humankind
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. board — a committee
  15. mug — a face
  16. plane — a tool
  17. can — a tin
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. mug — a cup
  21. chair — a leader
  22. race — a contest
  23. can — a tin
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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