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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: can · coach · row · bore · cue · wave · stick · jam

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. can — a tin
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — to tire
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. cue — for pool
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. cue — a hint
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. row — to paddle
  20. cue — a signal
  21. can — to be able to
  22. row — a line
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. can — a tin

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