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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. craft — a skill
  7. plane — a tool
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. craft — boats
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. capital — money
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. mark — a grade
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. capital — a city
  24. cabinet — ministers

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