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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. track — a path
  3. bulb — for light
  4. chair — a leader
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. board — a committee
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. prune — to trim
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. prune — to trim
  12. board — to get on
  13. cap — a lid
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. track — to keep track
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a hat

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