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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 120 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
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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: plane · lie · club · board · fan · degree · ball · bank

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. plane — a tool
  4. ball — a great time
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. degree — an amount
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. club — for dancing
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. lie — to recline
  11. board — a committee
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. club — for golf
  14. degree — temperature
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bank — for money
  17. club — a group
  18. bank — for money
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bank — of a river
  24. degree — from a university

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