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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: stand · chest · lash · toast · plane · bulb · board · court

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. court — for sport
  6. board — a committee
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chest — a box
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. court — of a king
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bulb — for light
  14. board — to get on
  15. court — of law
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. stand — to bear
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. toast — bread
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. plane — a tool
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  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