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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: deal · club · plane · scale · bark · board · kid · current

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. scale — size or range
  3. current — happening now
  4. scale — in music
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. club — for golf
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. club — a group
  14. kid — child
  15. board — a committee
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. club — for dancing
  19. kid — to tease
  20. plane — a tool
  21. current — electric
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. current — of water
  24. scale — for weighing

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