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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: craft · trunk · stick · march · object · lean · plane · board

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — to protest
  7. lean — to bend
  8. craft — a skill
  9. lean — thin
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. board — to get on
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. board — a committee
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. march — the month
  19. plane — a tool
  20. craft — boats
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. object — an aim

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