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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fork · wax · hand · present · racket · coach · mug · lean

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. present — there
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. hand — help
  8. fork — in a road
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. mug — to rob
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. hand — in cards
  19. present — the time now
  20. mug — a face
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. present — a gift
  24. mug — a cup

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