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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 · season · racket · cabinet · wake · scale · kid · rush

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. season — in sport
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — of the year
  7. kid — child
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rush — hurry
  16. scale — in music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. kid — to tease
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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