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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cabinet · trunk · plane · land · fork · board · ground · arm

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. land — to come down
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. fork — in a road
  10. board — a committee
  11. ground — the earth
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. land — ground
  14. land — a country
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. plane — a tool
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. ground — a position
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. ground — crushed
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. board — to get on
  24. arm — a part of something

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