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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: plane · pop · pitcher · club · kid · face · coach · arm

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. club — a group
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. pop — music
  10. club — for golf
  11. plane — a tool
  12. face — to point toward
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. kid — child
  17. face — part of the head
  18. kid — to tease
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pop — soda
  22. club — for dancing
  23. pop — to visit
  24. face — to confront

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