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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: rash · board · cap · plane · roll · cabinet · foot · trunk

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — hasty
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. foot — a measure
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — a list
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. cap — of ice
  10. plane — a tool
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. cap — a hat
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. board — a committee
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. board — to get on
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cap — a lid
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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