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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: board · trunk · spring · kick · pitch · coach · perch · plane

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. kick — in football
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. board — to get on
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. board — a committee
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. spring — of water
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. spring — the season
  21. perch — the fish
  22. plane — a tool
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. spring — a coil

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