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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.

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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: cell · row · board · arm · capital · plane · pass · nail

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. cell — in biology
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. capital — a city
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. row — a line
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. row — to paddle
  13. cell — a phone
  14. capital — money
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. board — to get on
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. board — a committee
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pass — a permit

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