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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: mouse · content · spring · race · bear · mark · coach · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. mark — a trace
  3. spring — a coil
  4. content — happy
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. spring — the season
  8. content — the amount
  9. spring — of water
  10. race — humankind
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. race — the arms race
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. mark — a grade
  17. race — a contest
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. coach — a trainer

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