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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: hide · rule · drill · board · ball · stem · plane · firm

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — a practice
  3. board — to get on
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. drill — army training
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. firm — steady
  15. rule — a law
  16. firm — a company
  17. ball — a great time
  18. board — a committee
  19. rule — government
  20. stem — to come from
  21. ball — a dance
  22. firm — decided
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. plane — a tool

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