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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.

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: can · coach · mouse · snap · swing · wave · bore · tube

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. can — a tin
  4. bore — to tire
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. can — to be able to
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bore — to drill
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. tube — a container
  19. can — a tin
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. swing — in golf
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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