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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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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: bay · race · staff · plane · ball · board · craft · pitch

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. staff — employees
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. race — the arms race
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. craft — a skill
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pitch — completely
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. craft — boats
  15. board — a committee
  16. race — humankind
  17. staff — a stick
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. board — to get on
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. race — a contest

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