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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 120 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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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: coach · safe · race · board · file · wake · suit · wave

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. race — the arms race
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a committee
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. suit — to fit
  11. file — a line of people
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. suit — in cards
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. race — humankind
  18. suit — clothes
  19. race — a contest
  20. file — a tool
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. wake — a trail
  24. file — a document

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