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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.

Make a worksheet

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: plane · bound · lash · wind · coach · charge · lie · nail

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bound — obliged
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. charge — in control
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. charge — a price
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. charge — electricity
  13. plane — a tool
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bound — tied together
  16. wind — moving air
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. wind — moving air
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. plane — in geometry

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