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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: foot · club · present · last · pit · plane · board · lie

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. present — there
  3. pit — a hole
  4. present — a gift
  5. lie — to recline
  6. club — for golf
  7. plane — a tool
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. club — for dancing
  13. last — to go on
  14. club — a group
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. last — final
  17. present — the time now
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pit — in a race
  20. foot — a measure
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. board — a committee
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. foot — the bottom

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