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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. band — a music group
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. last — to go on
  8. plane — a tool
  9. board — a committee
  10. band — a ring
  11. last — finally
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. last — final
  17. board — to get on
  18. arm — part of the body

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