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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: chest · trunk · coach · fine · mark · plane · staff · kick

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. chest — of your body
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fine — all right
  5. chest — a box
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. staff — employees
  10. mark — a trace
  11. chest — of your body
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — in football
  14. staff — employees
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. staff — a stick
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. mark — a grade
  24. plane — a tool

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