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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 120 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
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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: stick · plane · ball · coach · cabinet · key · swing · leaves

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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. swing — in golf
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. plane — a tool
  5. key — in music
  6. ball — a dance
  7. key — the most important part
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. swing — to play on
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. swing — music
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. key — for a lock
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. ball — a great time
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. plane — in geometry

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