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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.

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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: coach · wake · mouse · bowl · drill · rush · bank · jam

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. wake — a trail
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bank — for money
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. drill — a practice
  12. rush — hurry
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. drill — army training
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bank — of a river
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bank — for money
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. mouse — the animal

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