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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: plane · wave · racket · board · trunk · temple · rush · drill

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. rush — hurry
  3. drill — a practice
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. drill — army training
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. plane — a tool
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. board — to get on
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. board — a committee
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. drill — the tool
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. trunk — 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