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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 116 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: bank · firm · object · ground · plane · shower · coach · lean

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. ground — crushed
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. ground — the earth
  5. shower — rain
  6. object — an aim
  7. shower — to wash
  8. object — to protest
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bank — for money
  11. object — a thing
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bank — of a river
  14. lean — to bend
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. firm — a company
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. lean — thin
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. firm — steady
  21. bank — for money
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. ground — a position
  24. lean — to rest against

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