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

Word bank: bank · wake · race · calf · coach · craft · spring · wave

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bank — of a river
  5. wake — a trail
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. craft — boats
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bank — for money
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — the arms race
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bank — for money
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. race — a contest
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — a coil
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. spring — of water

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