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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.

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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. suit — in cards
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rock — music
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. rest — what's left
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — the underground
  15. rock — a stone
  16. shower — to wash
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. rest — a break
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. prune — to trim
  22. rest — what's left
  23. shower — rain
  24. prune — the fruit

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