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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 116 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: ball · firm · wound · coach · stick · board · plane · bat

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. wound — an injury
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. firm — a company
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. firm — decided
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. board — to get on
  14. ball — a dance
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. board — a committee
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bat — the animal
  20. plane — a tool
  21. firm — steady
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bat — in an idiom

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