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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: wave · row · rush · wake · degree · can · spell · coach

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. can — a tin
  4. row — to paddle
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — letters
  9. degree — from a university
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. degree — temperature
  22. degree — an amount
  23. rush — hurry
  24. spell — magic

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