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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 116 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: safe · swing · pop · trunk · coach · pitcher · wave · chip

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. pop — soda
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. swing — to play on
  14. chip — to eat
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. chip — for betting
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pop — music
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. swing — in golf
  23. swing — music
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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