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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
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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: lash · fan · row · cabinet · present · coach · chest · plane

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. chest — of your body
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. chest — a box
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. present — a gift
  8. row — to paddle
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. chest — of your body
  14. present — there
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. present — the time now
  19. row — a line
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. cabinet — ministers

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