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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. board — a committee
  4. spell — letters
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. can — a tin
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. can — to be able to
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. spell — magic
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. can — a tin
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. spell — a short time
  24. shower — to wash

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