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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: wave · drill · coach · track · spell · dip · lean · pop

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. pop — to visit
  6. dip — to sink
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. spell — a short time
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. drill — army training
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pop — soda
  14. drill — the tool
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pop — music
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. track — to keep track
  20. spell — letters
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. drill — a practice
  23. track — a path
  24. track — a song

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