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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 120 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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. plane — a tool
  3. board — a committee
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. row — a line
  6. cap — of ice
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — a lid
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. board — to get on
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. row — to paddle
  17. pass — a permit
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — to turn a key

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