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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.

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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: spell · drill · coach · stick · calf · plane · foot · arm

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. spell — magic
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. spell — letters
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. spell — a short time
  17. drill — the tool
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. foot — a measure
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. drill — a practice
  24. drill — army training

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