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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: deal · coach · sharp · land · band · fork · face · wake

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. wake — a trail
  5. deal — to handle
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. face — part of the head
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fork — in a road
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a music group
  13. land — to come down
  14. land — a country
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. face — to confront
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. sharp — clever
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. land — ground
  24. face — to point toward

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