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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. board — a committee
  3. ball — a dance
  4. track — a path
  5. plane — a tool
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. board — to get on
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. track — to keep track
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. march — the month
  22. prune — to trim
  23. track — a song
  24. ball — a round shape

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