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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: cabinet · track · ground · hand · board · spell · tube · plane

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. track — to keep track
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. track — a path
  5. board — a committee
  6. plane — a tool
  7. spell — magic
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. tube — a container
  12. spell — letters
  13. track — a song
  14. hand — help
  15. tube — the underground
  16. ground — the earth
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. board — to get on
  21. hand — in cards
  22. spell — a short time
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — a position

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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