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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
468
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: lie · coach · bat · plane · object · club · board · land

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. plane — a tool
  4. object — to protest
  5. club — for golf
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. land — ground
  8. lie — to recline
  9. object — a thing
  10. land — to come down
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bat — the animal
  15. club — a group
  16. object — an aim
  17. land — a country
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — to get on
  23. club — for dancing
  24. coach — a trainer

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