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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. object — to protest
  7. charge — in control
  8. fine — all right
  9. object — an aim
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. charge — electricity
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. object — a thing
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — a measure
  19. sharp — clever
  20. fine — high quality
  21. charge — a price
  22. plane — a tool
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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