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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. season — of the year
  3. plane — a tool
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. season — in sport
  8. bank — for money
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bank — for money
  14. prune — to trim
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. toast — bread
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bank — of a river
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ruler — for measuring

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