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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: can · plane · field · club · pass · face · bulb · coach

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. plane — a tool
  3. face — to confront
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. field — farmland
  6. bulb — for light
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for dancing
  9. can — a tin
  10. bulb — for light
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. field — for sport
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. can — a tin
  20. club — for golf
  21. face — to point toward
  22. field — a subject
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. can — to be able to

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