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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
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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 · plane · drill · trunk · ball · mouse · mate · bear

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bear — the animal
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — a practice
  10. plane — a tool
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. ball — a dance
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. drill — army training
  19. mate — to breed
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mate — a partner

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