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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.

Make a worksheet

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: plane · trunk · staff · ruler · content · wound · craft · board

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. content — the amount
  4. staff — employees
  5. wound — an injury
  6. plane — a tool
  7. content — happy
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wound — an injury
  11. board — to get on
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. staff — a stick
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. craft — a skill
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. craft — boats
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. board — a committee
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. trunk — of a car

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