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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: jam · deal · plane · coach · swing · trunk · mine · cue

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. plane — a tool
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. cue — a signal
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cue — for pool
  12. swing — music
  13. cue — a hint
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. swing — in golf
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — to handle
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. trunk — of a car

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