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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.

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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: coach · mouse · face · land · stem · trunk · chip · plane

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. plane — a tool
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. chip — to eat
  11. face — to confront
  12. land — to come down
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. land — a country
  15. face — to point toward
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stem — to come from
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. land — ground
  23. face — part of the head
  24. mouse — the animal

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