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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: date · deal · lean · spring · hide · coach

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. deal — to handle
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spring — of water
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. date — the fruit
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. spring — the season
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. date — on the calendar

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