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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. object — an aim
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — a trace
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mug — a cup
  8. ground — crushed
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. ground — a position
  12. capital — money
  13. mug — to rob
  14. game — wild animals
  15. mug — a face
  16. game — a match
  17. ground — the earth
  18. plane — a tool
  19. board — to get on
  20. object — a thing
  21. object — to protest
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. capital — a city

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