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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: swing · wake · plane · firm · safe · mine · coach · face

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. firm — steady
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — a trail
  7. mine — for digging
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. plane — a tool
  12. face — to point toward
  13. swing — to play on
  14. face — to confront
  15. firm — decided
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. swing — in golf
  18. firm — a company
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. face — part of the head
  24. safe — out of danger

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