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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
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: present · calf · hide · rule · plane · coach · current · wound

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. present — there
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. current — of water
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. plane — a tool
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. present — a gift
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wound — an injury
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — electric
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rule — a law
  22. wound — an injury
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. rule — government

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