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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.

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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: track · rock · leaves · coach · bat · plane · lash · safe

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rock — a stone
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. rock — music
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. track — a song
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bat — the animal
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. plane — a tool
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. track — a path

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