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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: charge · leaves · coach · deal · plane · mine · pass · cap

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. mine — for digging
  9. plane — a tool
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. charge — in control
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. cap — a lid
  14. charge — electricity
  15. cap — a hat
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. charge — a price
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. cap — of ice
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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