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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: rest · mouse · bore · plane · fan · racket · stem · board

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. board — a committee
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bore — to drill
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bore — to tire
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. rest — a break
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. board — to get on
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stem — to come from
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. plane — a tool
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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