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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.

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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: mate · wave · track · lie · sharp · pitcher · coach · craft

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. track — a path
  3. craft — boats
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — a skill
  10. sharp — clever
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mate — a friend
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. mate — a partner
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. track — a song
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. track — to keep track
  24. mate — to breed

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