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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: sharp · coach · mate · field · plane · leaves · trunk · hide

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. plane — a tool
  6. field — farmland
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. field — a subject
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mate — a friend
  16. field — for sport
  17. sharp — clever
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. mate — to breed
  24. hide — to keep secret

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