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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. march — music
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. current — happening now
  6. firm — steady
  7. board — a committee
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. club — for dancing
  10. current — of water
  11. wind — moving air
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. firm — a company
  14. stand — to bear
  15. firm — decided
  16. march — the month
  17. current — electric
  18. club — a group
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. plane — a tool
  21. march — the month
  22. board — to get on
  23. wind — moving air
  24. club — for golf

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