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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: fall · swing · plane · drill · coach · track · current · bay

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. plane — a tool
  3. swing — music
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. swing — to play on
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. drill — army training
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. swing — in golf
  11. current — electric
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a path
  15. current — happening now
  16. fall — the season
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — a practice
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. track — a song
  23. current — of water
  24. fall — to drop

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