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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. board — a committee
  3. spell — magic
  4. board — to get on
  5. court — of a king
  6. court — of law
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. charge — electricity
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. row — to paddle
  14. lean — thin
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. spell — letters
  17. row — a line
  18. court — for sport
  19. plane — a tool
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — a price
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. lean — to bend
  24. nail — for a hammer

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