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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
468
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: pitcher · drill · stand · game · wave · mouse · coach · wind

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. game — a match
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — wild animals
  16. drill — army training
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wind — moving air
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. wind — moving air
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stand — to bear
  24. wave — of the sea

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