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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. wax — to grow
  3. game — a match
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bank — for money
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bank — of a river
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. field — a subject
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. field — farmland
  15. cap — of ice
  16. field — for sport
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cap — a hat
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. game — wild animals
  21. bank — for money
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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