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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: cap · face · stick · bass · rush · coach · wave · trunk

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. face — part of the head
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — the fish
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bass — low music
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. cap — of ice
  13. rush — hurry
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. face — to point toward
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. face — to confront
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. cap — a hat

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