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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: plane · mouse · tube · trunk · lash · capital · dip · coach

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. tube — the underground
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. capital — a city
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. tube — a container
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. plane — a tool
  13. dip — to sink
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. capital — money
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. coach — a trainer

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