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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 116 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: plane · bore · board · hide · lie · land · coach · content

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. plane — a tool
  3. land — to come down
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. land — ground
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bore — to drill
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bore — to tire
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — to get on
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. content — happy
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. content — the amount

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