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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
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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: pop · coach · fan · spell · lean · rush · wave · land

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pop — to visit
  3. spell — a short time
  4. lean — to bend
  5. spell — magic
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. land — ground
  8. pop — soda
  9. spell — letters
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lean — thin
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rush — hurry
  14. land — to come down
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. land — a country
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. pop — music
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to 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