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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bat · kick · plane · band · coach · bore · mouse · craft

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. kick — in football
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bore — to drill
  10. plane — a tool
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bat — the animal
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bore — to tire
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. craft — boats
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. band — a ring
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. band — a music group
  24. mouse — the animal

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