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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: pit · plane · board · ruler · cabinet · lash · sharp · bowl

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. pit — a hole
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. sharp — clever
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a committee
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. plane — a tool

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