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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: firm · nail · fall · march · mug · coach · plane · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fall — to drop
  5. march — the month
  6. mug — to rob
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. march — music
  9. mug — a cup
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. firm — steady
  13. mug — a face
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — decided
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. fall — to drop
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. fall — the season
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. march — the month

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