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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 120 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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. row — to paddle
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bore — to tire
  7. field — for sport
  8. field — a subject
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. field — farmland
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. club — for golf
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. club — for dancing
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. row — a line
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bore — to drill
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. club — a group

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