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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: wax · club · coach · pitch · band · hide · tube · shower

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  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. band — a ring
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. wax — to grow
  7. club — for golf
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. club — a group
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. tube — the underground
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. shower — rain
  15. club — for dancing
  16. tube — a container
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. band — a music group
  19. pitch — completely
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. tube — in a tire
  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