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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: land · bank · clip · suit · rest · drill · plane · coach

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. clip — for paper
  4. bank — for money
  5. plane — a tool
  6. land — to come down
  7. suit — clothes
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — a practice
  10. rest — a break
  11. land — ground
  12. land — a country
  13. bank — of a river
  14. drill — army training
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. suit — in cards
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bank — for money
  19. clip — a video
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. suit — to fit
  22. rest — what's left
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. clip — to cut

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