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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: date · plane · object · present · trunk · board · stand · mouse

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. object — a thing
  7. stand — to bear
  8. object — to protest
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. present — the time now
  16. date — the fruit
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. present — a gift
  20. board — to get on
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. object — an aim
  23. board — a committee
  24. plane — a tool

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