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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. track — a path
  4. row — to paddle
  5. pitch — completely
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. board — to get on
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. track — to keep track
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. board — a committee
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. plane — a tool
  17. row — a line
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. track — a song
  23. cold — not warm
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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