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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. pass — a permit
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. net — after costs
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — music
  14. net — in sport
  15. land — ground
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. net — for catching
  19. land — to come down
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. land — a country

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