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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
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: coach · arm · object · mouse · march · lie · wave · tube

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. object — to protest
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — a container
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. lie — to recline
  7. march — music
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. object — an aim
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. march — the month
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. march — the month
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. object — a thing
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  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