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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rule · ball · bowl · board · plane · press · trunk · pound

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. ball — a great time
  3. board — a committee
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. press — to push
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. press — newspapers
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. press — a publisher
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. rule — government
  15. pound — a weight
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. ball — a dance
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. board — to get on

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