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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mark · nail · spell · wave · hand · coach

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. mark — a trace
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. hand — help
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. spell — a short time
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. spell — magic
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mark — a grade
  17. hand — in cards
  18. nail — for a hammer

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