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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 120 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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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: racket · pitch · board · row · pound · bore · stand · plane

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. row — a line
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bore — to tire
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. stand — to bear
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bore — to drill
  15. board — a committee
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pitch — completely
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pound — a weight
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bore — gave birth

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