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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. chip — to eat
  4. rule — government
  5. mate — a friend
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bass — low music
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bass — the fish
  17. rule — a law
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. plane — a tool
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. trunk — of a tree

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