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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bank — for money
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. court — of law
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. mine — for digging
  9. plane — a tool
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. court — of a king
  14. deal — to handle
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. foot — a measure
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bank — for money
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. court — for sport
  21. bank — of a river
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. foot — the bottom

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