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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: mouse · board · plane · stand · stick · root · perch · tube

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. root — of a word
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. perch — the fish
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — to get on
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. tube — a container
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. tube — the underground
  19. stand — to bear
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. root — of a plant
  22. plane — a tool
  23. root — the cause
  24. plane — in geometry

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