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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. stand — to bear
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. board — to get on
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. board — a committee
  15. chest — of your body
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. chest — of your body
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. cap — a hat
  21. chest — a box
  22. pit — in a race
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. plane — a tool

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