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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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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: squash · racket · plane · board · land · march · bay · ground

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. land — ground
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. march — music
  7. squash — the sport
  8. march — the month
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. board — to get on
  11. land — a country
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. ground — crushed
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. march — the month
  18. land — to come down
  19. ground — a position
  20. plane — a tool
  21. board — a committee
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. racket — for tennis

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