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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: suit · rest · spell · clip · bank · calf · coach · wax

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bank — of a river
  5. suit — to fit
  6. clip — a video
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. clip — for paper
  9. rest — a break
  10. bank — for money
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. clip — to cut
  14. spell — magic
  15. wax — to grow
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rest — what's left
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. rest — what's left
  22. suit — in cards
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bank — for money

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