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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wound · object · cap · stand · trunk · plane · ball · mouse

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — a thing
  7. ball — a dance
  8. cap — of ice
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. wound — an injury
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. ball — a great time
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. cap — a hat
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. object — an aim
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. stand — to bear
  21. cap — a lid
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wound — an injury

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