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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 · bay · fall · mug · row · track · bass · rush

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. track — a song
  3. bass — low music
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bass — the fish
  9. mug — to rob
  10. track — a path
  11. row — a line
  12. fall — to drop
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. mug — a face
  18. fall — to drop
  19. track — to keep track
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. fall — the season
  22. row — to paddle
  23. mug — a cup
  24. rush — hurry

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