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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. board — to get on
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. plane — a tool
  6. board — a committee
  7. degree — from a university
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. degree — an amount
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bulb — for light
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. present — there
  23. degree — temperature
  24. present — a gift

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