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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: plane · coach · hide · track · fine · mug · racket · perch

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. mug — a face
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fine — all right
  7. track — to keep track
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mug — to rob
  10. fine — high quality
  11. track — a path
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. mug — a cup
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. track — a song
  21. plane — a tool
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. perch — the fish

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