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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
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: saw · net · stick · wave · coach · suit · band · roll

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  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. wave — of the sea
  2. suit — clothes
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. band — a music group
  5. net — in sport
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. net — after costs
  9. roll — a list
  10. net — for catching
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. saw — the tool
  14. suit — in cards
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. roll — a cake
  22. saw — the tool
  23. band — a ring
  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