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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 120 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: bowl · coach · wave · spring · chair · staff · mouse · bound

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  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. coach — a trainer
  2. spring — the season
  3. staff — employees
  4. spring — of water
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. spring — a coil
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bound — certain
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bound — tied together
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. chair — a leader
  15. bound — obliged
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. staff — employees
  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