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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: spring · plane · kick · mate · stand · nail · coach · drill

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. spring — a coil
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mate — a friend
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. drill — army training
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. drill — a practice
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. kick — in football
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. stand — to bear
  17. mate — to breed
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. spring — of water
  20. spring — the season
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. drill — the tool
  24. mate — a partner

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