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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: mark · jam · coach · tear · plane · wake · ground · rule

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a trace
  3. tear — from crying
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. rule — government
  8. tear — from crying
  9. ground — a position
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. tear — to rip
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. ground — the earth
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. mark — a grade
  21. rule — a law
  22. wake — a trail
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ground — crushed

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