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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 116 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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bank — of a river
  7. chair — a leader
  8. march — the month
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bank — for money
  11. mark — a trace
  12. tube — the underground
  13. march — the month
  14. march — music
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. bank — for money
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. wax — to grow
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. tube — a container
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — an eyelash

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