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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.

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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: net · wave · game · coach · suit · pop · dip · trunk

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pop — music
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. game — a match
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pop — soda
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. net — after costs
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. game — wild animals
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. dip — to sink
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. net — for catching
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. net — in sport

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