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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: pop · board · plane · ball · wind · game · bound · toast

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. pop — music
  4. board — a committee
  5. bound — certain
  6. pop — soda
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bound — tied together
  11. toast — bread
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. wind — moving air
  15. pop — to visit
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a match
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bound — obliged
  24. board — to get on

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