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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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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: pass · wake · object · coach · stick · deal · root · wave

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. root — of a word
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. root — of a plant
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. object — an aim
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — a thing
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wake — a trail
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. root — the cause

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