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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
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: deal · mate · leaves · temple · coach · plane · shower · nail

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. mate — to breed
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. shower — rain
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. mate — a partner
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mate — a friend
  24. leaves — to go away

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