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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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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 · bulb · lie · suit · wave · arm · fine · kick

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. suit — in cards
  4. lie — to recline
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. fine — all right
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. kick — in football
  10. suit — to fit
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fine — high quality
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bulb — for light
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fine — a penalty

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