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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: pound · dip · arm · plane · board · stem · cabinet · swing

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. swing — music
  6. plane — a tool
  7. swing — in golf
  8. pound — a weight
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. board — to get on
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. swing — to play on
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. dip — to sink
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. board — a committee
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. plane — an aircraft

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