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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.

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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: coach · row · leaves · jam · chip · saw · spell · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. row — a line
  8. plane — a tool
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. chip — to eat
  13. saw — the tool
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. saw — the tool
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. spell — magic
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. spell — a short time
  22. spell — letters
  23. row — to paddle
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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