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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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. board — to get on
  3. row — to paddle
  4. firm — decided
  5. craft — a skill
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. board — a committee
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. craft — boats
  12. firm — steady
  13. plane — a tool
  14. row — a line
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. firm — a company
  21. rock — a stone
  22. toast — bread
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mine — for digging

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