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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: trunk · plane · lash · coach · sharp · bass · leaves · deal

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. deal — to handle
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bass — low music
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bass — the fish
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. sharp — clever
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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