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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.

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: lie · kid · leaves · mug · plane · stem · coach · cabinet

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — a cup
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. kid — child
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. plane — a tool
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stem — to come from
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mug — to rob
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. lie — to recline
  23. kid — to tease
  24. coach — a trainer

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