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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. cue — a signal
  7. spring — the season
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. band — a music group
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. board — a committee
  15. rock — music
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. spring — a coil
  21. band — a ring
  22. spring — of water
  23. cue — for pool
  24. board — to get on

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