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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. stand — to bear
  3. content — happy
  4. content — the amount
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. rest — what's left
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — music
  11. board — a committee
  12. rest — what's left
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. swing — in golf
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. lie — to recline
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. board — to get on
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mine — an explosive

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