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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: coach · track · season · face · bulb · wave · mate · bay

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. mate — to breed
  3. season — in sport
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mate — a partner
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to confront
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. track — to keep track
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. track — a song
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bulb — for light
  21. season — of the year
  22. track — a path
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. season — to add flavour

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