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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: coach · net · wax · cue · craft · stem · can · cap

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. stem — to come from
  6. craft — a skill
  7. cue — a signal
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. net — for catching
  10. can — to be able to
  11. craft — boats
  12. cue — a hint
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. cap — of ice
  15. can — a tin
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. cap — a lid
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. can — a tin
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cue — for pool
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — after costs
  24. craft — a handicraft

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