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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: jam · kick · toast · band · net · coach · plane · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. net — in sport
  3. net — after costs
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. kick — in football
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. rest — what's left
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. net — for catching
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. band — a music group
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. rest — a break
  15. plane — a tool
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. band — a ring
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. toast — bread

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