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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 116 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. field — a subject
  3. club — for dancing
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. club — for golf
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. plane — a tool
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. board — to get on
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. mate — a friend
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. club — a group
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. field — for sport
  18. mate — to breed
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. mate — a partner
  21. field — farmland
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. board — a committee
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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