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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 116 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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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: plane · bowl · rock · cue · kick · board · stick · prune

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. prune — to trim
  5. cue — for pool
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. rock — music
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. cue — a hint
  11. kick — in football
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. board — a committee
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. plane — a tool
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. prune — to trim

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