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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.

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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: can · wave · march · fine · chest · coach · suit · rule

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. march — music
  3. chest — of your body
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. march — the month
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. can — a tin
  10. fine — all right
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. suit — clothes
  13. chest — of your body
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. can — to be able to
  17. march — the month
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. rule — a law
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. can — a tin
  22. rule — government
  23. chest — a box
  24. fine — high quality

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