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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: lie · present · board · hand · roll · bulb · plane · mouse

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. present — there
  3. roll — a cake
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a committee
  8. present — a gift
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. roll — a list
  12. present — the time now
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. hand — in cards
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bulb — for light
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. hand — help
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bulb — for light

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