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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: net · coach · leaves · pitcher · race · rush · mouse · wave

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — hurry
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. race — the arms race
  14. net — after costs
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. race — humankind
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. race — a contest
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. net — in sport
  23. coach — a trainer
  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