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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.

Make a worksheet

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
YesNo
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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: plane · land · cabinet · patient · coach · stick · perch · nail

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. land — to come down
  4. plane — a tool
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. land — a country
  9. land — ground
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. perch — the fish
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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