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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: row · coach · date · craft · wax · safe · leaves · pop

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. row — a line
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. date — the fruit
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. pop — to visit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. craft — boats
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pop — music
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wax — to grow
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. craft — a skill
  22. row — to paddle
  23. pop — soda
  24. row — a quarrel

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