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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.

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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: wave · hide · suit · bowl · snap · coach · leaves · race

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. race — the arms race
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. suit — to fit
  17. race — humankind
  18. race — a contest
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. suit — clothes
  22. snap — to click
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wave — of the sea

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