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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 · stand · board · suit · bound · bat · lie · spring

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bound — tied together
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. spring — of water
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. spring — the season
  11. lie — to recline
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. board — to get on
  14. bound — certain
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. spring — a coil
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bat — the animal
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bound — obliged
  22. board — a committee
  23. plane — a tool
  24. suit — to fit

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