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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
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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: wave · band · bat · date · plane · calf · key · board

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. board — to get on
  5. bat — the animal
  6. board — a committee
  7. date — the fruit
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. band — a music group
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. band — a ring

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