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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bound — certain
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. shower — to wash
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bound — tied together
  12. shower — rain
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bound — obliged
  15. wound — an injury
  16. rock — music
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. track — to keep track
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. track — a path
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. track — a song

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