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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 116 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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. plane — a tool
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. band — a music group
  6. tube — the underground
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. fine — all right
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wake — a trail
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. fine — high quality
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. band — a ring
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. tube — a container

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