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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: bay · leaves · ground · coach · fine · suit · firm · plane

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. fine — high quality
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. ground — crushed
  7. plane — a tool
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ground — a position
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. ground — the earth
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. suit — to fit
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. suit — clothes
  19. firm — decided
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. coach — a trainer

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