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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: bowl · file · mug · shower · board · plane · toast · calf

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. mug — to rob
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — to get on
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. toast — bread
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. file — a line of people
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. file — a document
  17. mug — a face
  18. shower — rain
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mug — a cup
  21. shower — to wash
  22. file — a tool
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. plane — an aircraft

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