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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: band · coach · kick · plane · suit · rock · dip · game

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. game — a match
  7. suit — in cards
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. kick — in football
  12. band — a ring
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. band — a music group
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. dip — to sink
  17. game — wild animals
  18. rock — music
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rock — a stone
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. plane — a tool

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