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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
468
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: rock · trunk · board · mug · bass · plane · leaves · saw

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. mug — to rob
  4. board — to get on
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. board — a committee
  10. bass — low music
  11. rock — a stone
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bass — the fish
  14. mug — a face
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. rock — music
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mug — a cup
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. saw — the tool
  24. plane — in geometry

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