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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: stick · wound · stand · trunk · pitcher · plane · tube · board

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. board — to get on
  4. wound — an injury
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. tube — the underground
  7. plane — a tool
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. tube — a container
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. wound — an injury
  16. stand — to bear
  17. board — a committee
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. stand — on your feet

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