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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: season · trunk · fine · rock · bore · plane · coach · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. rock — music
  7. bore — to drill
  8. fine — all right
  9. rock — a stone
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. fine — high quality
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to tire
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — steady

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