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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
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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: rule · row · leaves · coach · nail · tube · plane · mine

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  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. leaves — of a tree
  2. mine — for digging
  3. rule — a law
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. plane — a tool
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. row — to paddle
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. tube — a container
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. tube — the underground
  17. row — a line
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. rule — government
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mine — an explosive
  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