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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: plane · row · suit · board · court · safe · stock · spell

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. row — a line
  3. spell — a short time
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. spell — magic
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. board — a committee
  9. spell — letters
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. court — of law
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. row — to paddle
  14. court — of a king
  15. plane — a tool
  16. board — to get on
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — goods
  24. row — a quarrel

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