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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.

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: squash · pop · racket · saw · plane · stand · bay · board

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the sport
  4. board — a committee
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — music
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pop — soda
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. plane — a tool
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. board — to get on
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — on your feet

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