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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.

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: object · wake · chair · wave · temple · coach · nail · land

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. chair — a leader
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. land — to come down
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. object — to protest
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. object — an aim
  15. land — a country
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wake — a trail
  18. object — a thing
  19. land — ground
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. temple — a place of worship

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