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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. firm — decided
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. charge — a price
  6. mark — a trace
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mark — a grade
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. charge — in control
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. charge — electricity
  16. plane — a tool
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. sharp — clever
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. firm — a company
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. plane — an aircraft

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