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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: coach · bay · plane · rash · dip · pound · fan · suit

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. rash — hasty
  3. plane — a tool
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. suit — clothes
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. dip — to sink
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. rash — a series
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. fan — a supporter

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