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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.

Make a worksheet

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: can · coach · wave · stick · stand · leaves

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. can — a tin
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. coach — a trainer

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