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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: rush · coach · object · court · mouse · wave · pass · bear

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bear — the animal
  5. court — of law
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. object — an aim
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. court — for sport
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. object — to protest
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. object — a thing
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. pass — a permit
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. court — of a king

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