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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 116 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. season — in sport
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. board — to get on
  7. march — the month
  8. lean — to bend
  9. board — a committee
  10. plane — a tool
  11. lean — thin
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. march — music
  15. season — of the year
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. march — the month
  24. mine — an explosive

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