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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.

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: coach · wave · toast · jam · ball · press · bear · wax

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bear — the animal
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. ball — a dance
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. toast — bread
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — a publisher
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. press — to push
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. ball — a great time
  24. wave — with your hand

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