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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: craft · toast · wave · band · pit · coach · pitcher · dip

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. toast — bread
  3. pit — in a race
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a music group
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pit — a hole
  18. dip — to sink
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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