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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
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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: pitcher · deal · board · trunk · patient · plane · march · rule

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. plane — a tool
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. board — a committee
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. march — the month
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. rule — government
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rule — a law
  15. march — the month
  16. deal — to handle
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. board — to get on
  20. march — music
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. deal — a big deal

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