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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. craft — boats
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. tear — from crying
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. saw — the tool
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — to get on
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. craft — a skill
  12. plane — a tool
  13. tear — to rip
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. rush — hurry
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. saw — the tool
  24. tear — from crying

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