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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 120 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: plane · kick · coach · ball · can · cap · spring · fine

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fine — all right
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — a tool
  5. kick — in football
  6. cap — of ice
  7. spring — the season
  8. cap — a hat
  9. can — a tin
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. cap — a lid
  13. can — to be able to
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. ball — a great time
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. can — a tin
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. spring — of water
  22. spring — a coil
  23. ball — a dance
  24. fine — high quality

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