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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cabinet · leaves · bulb · swing · wave · spring · fine · coach

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. swing — to play on
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. spring — a coil
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. spring — of water
  14. bulb — for light
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. spring — the season
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — in golf
  20. fine — all right
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fine — high quality
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bulb — of a plant

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