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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 116 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: wave · firm · bat · present · key · suit · spring · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. coach — a trainer
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. suit — in cards
  4. spring — a coil
  5. spring — of water
  6. key — for a lock
  7. suit — to fit
  8. key — in music
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. present — there
  12. firm — steady
  13. present — a gift
  14. suit — clothes
  15. firm — a company
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. firm — decided
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bat — the animal
  20. spring — the season
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. present — the time now
  23. key — the most important part
  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