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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.

Make a worksheet

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: row · fan · date · lean · straw · plane · ruler · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. lean — to bend
  3. date — the fruit
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. row — to paddle
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. lean — thin
  10. plane — a tool
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. row — a line
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. plane — in geometry

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