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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: board · firm · spell · wake · ball · wave · plane · chest

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. chest — of your body
  4. chest — a box
  5. spell — magic
  6. plane — a tool
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. ball — a dance
  11. board — a committee
  12. firm — a company
  13. spell — a short time
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. spell — letters
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a great time
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. chest — of your body
  23. board — to get on
  24. plane — in geometry

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