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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.

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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 · pound · trunk · ball · suit · ground · bowl

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — the earth
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. wake — a trail
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pound — a weight
  19. suit — in cards
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. suit — to fit
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a dance
  24. suit — clothes

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