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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
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: hand · calf · hide · coach · mark · toast · wound · wave

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. hand — in cards
  3. wound — an injury
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mark — a grade
  6. hand — help
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wound — an injury
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. mark — a trace
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. toast — bread
  24. hide — to keep secret

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