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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. board — a committee
  3. drill — the tool
  4. present — the time now
  5. drill — a practice
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pit — in a race
  8. board — to get on
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. present — there
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. stem — to come from
  15. plane — a tool
  16. present — a gift
  17. row — a line
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pit — a hole
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. stem — a stem cell

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