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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. tear — to rip
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. staff — employees
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. tear — from crying
  17. snap — to click
  18. plane — a tool
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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