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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 120 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: march · dip · plane · lash · face · court · craft · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. court — of a king
  5. dip — to sink
  6. face — part of the head
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. court — of law
  11. march — the month
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. plane — a tool
  14. face — to confront
  15. court — for sport
  16. craft — a skill
  17. march — the month
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. face — to point toward
  20. craft — boats
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. march — music
  24. plane — in geometry

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