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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: game · plane · lie · trunk · bass · mate · lean · coach

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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. trunk — of a car
  4. lean — thin
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. mate — a partner
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. game — wild animals
  11. bass — low music
  12. mate — a friend
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bass — the fish
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — a match
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. plane — a tool
  23. mate — to breed
  24. lean — to bend

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