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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.

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: wave · bowl · current · racket · coach · arm · pop · object

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pop — to visit
  6. object — an aim
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. current — electric
  12. object — a thing
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. current — of water
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. object — to protest
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. pop — soda
  22. current — happening now
  23. pop — music
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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