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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: nail · firm · fan · row · board · ball · plane · stem

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. board — to get on
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. row — to paddle
  7. plane — a tool
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. firm — decided
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. row — a line
  12. firm — a company
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. board — a committee
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stem — to come from
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a great time

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