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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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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: bass · deal · stand · coach · foot · temple · kid · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. kid — child
  16. foot — a measure
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. kid — to tease
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. deal — to handle
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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