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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. spring — the season
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. lie — to recline
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. spring — a coil
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rock — music
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. spring — of water
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. lean — to bend
  20. plane — a tool
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — thin
  24. trunk — of a car

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