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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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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: craft · bowl · content · face · cue · plane · board · wave

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. craft — boats
  5. content — happy
  6. plane — a tool
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — a skill
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. board — a committee
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. face — to point toward
  17. content — the amount
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. board — to get on
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to confront

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