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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 · snap · fork · track · bear · present · wax · swing

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. swing — music
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. track — a path
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. swing — to play on
  10. wax — to grow
  11. present — the time now
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. track — a song
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. present — a gift
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. swing — in golf
  19. snap — to click
  20. fork — in a road
  21. track — to keep track
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. present — there

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