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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: suit · plane · roll · board · bound · bass · trunk · season

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. roll — a list
  3. season — in sport
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. board — a committee
  8. roll — a cake
  9. season — of the year
  10. bass — the fish
  11. board — to get on
  12. suit — to fit
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — tied together
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. suit — clothes
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bass — low music
  24. board — a flat piece

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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