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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.

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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: squash · march · staff · rock · wave · fan · can · coach

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. staff — employees
  3. march — music
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — a stick
  6. march — the month
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. march — the month
  9. rock — music
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. can — to be able to
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. can — a tin
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. rock — a stone
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. can — a tin
  24. squash — the sport

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