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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 120 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: last · rest · nail · root · wave · bay · coach · fall

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. root — of a word
  5. rest — what's left
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. root — the cause
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. root — of a plant
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. last — to go on
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. last — final
  16. fall — the season
  17. rest — a break
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — to drop
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. last — finally
  24. coach — a trainer

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