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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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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 · firm · coach · wind · racket · fall · perch · march

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. fall — the season
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. plane — a tool
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. firm — a company
  13. wind — moving air
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. fall — to drop
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. fall — to drop
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. march — the month
  20. march — music
  21. wind — moving air
  22. march — the month
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — decided

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