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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: pop · key · wave · racket · arm · shower · coach · ground

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. pop — to visit
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. key — for a lock
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. key — in music
  11. pop — soda
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. ground — a position
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. key — the most important part
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — the earth
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pop — music
  22. shower — to wash
  23. shower — rain
  24. racket — a loud noise

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