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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 116 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: mine · leaves · spell · saw · drill · plane · dip · coach

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. dip — to sink
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. drill — a practice
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. drill — the tool
  11. spell — letters
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. spell — a short time
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. drill — army training
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. plane — a tool
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mine — for digging
  23. spell — magic
  24. mine — belonging to me

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