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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 120 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. track — to keep track
  6. ball — a great time
  7. track — a song
  8. board — a committee
  9. track — a path
  10. board — to get on
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pit — in a race
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. rock — a stone
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. ball — a dance
  24. arm — a part of something

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