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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: lie · game · deal · lean · plane · net · ball · board

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. lie — to recline
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. net — after costs
  8. board — to get on
  9. net — in sport
  10. ball — a dance
  11. deal — to handle
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. game — wild animals
  16. lean — thin
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. net — for catching
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. board — a committee
  24. game — a match

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