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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: plane · land · coach · saw · squash · sharp · bass · rush

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. land — to come down
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bass — the fish
  10. plane — a tool
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. land — a country
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. squash — to crush
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. squash — the sport
  19. sharp — clever
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — hurry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. saw — past of 'see'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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