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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: coach · dip · shower · wax · cue · board · drill · cabinet

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. cue — a hint
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. drill — the tool
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. drill — a practice
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. board — to get on
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cue — for pool
  12. board — a committee
  13. shower — rain
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wax — to grow
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. drill — army training
  22. shower — to wash
  23. dip — to sink
  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