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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: wave · row · fine · fall · bowl · coach · safe · bat

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. row — a line
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bat — the animal
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. row — to paddle
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fine — all right
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fall — to drop
  24. wave — of the sea

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