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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: squash · hide · coach · arm · fall · rest · plane · scale

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. fall — to drop
  5. squash — the sport
  6. scale — in music
  7. fall — the season
  8. rest — a break
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. scale — size or range
  12. rest — what's left
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. plane — a tool
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. rest — what's left
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. fall — to drop
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — to crush
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. arm — part of the body

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