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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.

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: rush · ball · board · stand · plane · cell · rash · hide

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. board — to get on
  3. ball — a dance
  4. rush — hurry
  5. cell — in biology
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cell — a phone
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. board — a committee
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. stand — to bear
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — hasty
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. rash — a series
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. ball — a great time

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