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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: wax · swing · mark · track · stand · wave · coach · nail

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  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. wave — with your hand
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. track — to keep track
  4. mark — a trace
  5. track — a path
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stand — to bear
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. swing — music
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. track — a song
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — to play on
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. wax — to grow
  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