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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: stick · spell · plane · bear · capital · coach · mug · root

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. spell — letters
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. root — of a word
  6. mug — to rob
  7. capital — a city
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — a cup
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bear — the animal
  14. spell — magic
  15. capital — money
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. root — the cause
  18. root — of a plant
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. spell — a short time
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bear — the animal
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. capital — a big letter

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