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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.

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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: club · trunk · plane · can · saw · mine · coach · straw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. can — a tin
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. can — a tin
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. saw — the tool
  12. club — a group
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. club — for dancing
  17. plane — a tool
  18. can — to be able to
  19. club — for golf
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mine — for digging
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mine — an explosive

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