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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · cue · coach · wave · wake · kick · net · fan

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. net — for catching
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cue — a hint
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cue — a signal
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. cue — for pool
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. net — after costs
  16. wake — a trail
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. net — in sport
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. can — a tin

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