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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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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: club · bat · bank · cue · board · plane · foot · bay

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bank — for money
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. bank — of a river
  15. club — a group
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. cue — a hint
  19. club — for golf
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a committee
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — part of the body

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