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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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Word bank
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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: board · plane · fork · row · bass · suit

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. fork — in a road
  3. board — to get on
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — low music
  6. row — a line
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. plane — a tool
  12. suit — to fit
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. board — a committee
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. row — to paddle
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. suit — in cards

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