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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: wave · hand · track · coach · pop · can · lie · bay

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. track — to keep track
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pop — to visit
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pop — music
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. track — a path
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. lie — to recline
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. track — a song
  18. hand — help
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. can — a tin
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. pop — soda

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