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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: content · chair · rock · board · nail · trunk · kick · plane

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. content — the amount
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. content — happy
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. board — to get on
  15. plane — a tool
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. board — a committee
  18. rock — a stone
  19. kick — in football
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. chair — a leader
  22. rock — music
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. trunk — of a car

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