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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. object — a thing
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. board — a committee
  8. object — to protest
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mark — a trace
  12. object — an aim
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mark — a grade
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. plane — a tool
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. mouse — the animal

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