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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. board — to get on
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. plane — a tool
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bark — to shout
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. board — a committee
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bark — of a tree

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