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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 120 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: trunk · coach · cabinet · plane · chest · bass · ball · fork

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. fork — in a road
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. bass — the fish
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bass — low music
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. chest — of your body
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. plane — a tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. chest — of your body
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. chest — a box

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