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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.

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: plane · tube · cabinet · lean · swing · board · pitch · root

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. board — to get on
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. plane — a tool
  6. board — a committee
  7. lean — to bend
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a plant
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pitch — completely
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. root — of a word
  14. swing — to play on
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. lean — thin
  19. swing — in golf
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. tube — a container
  23. swing — music
  24. tube — the underground

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