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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: wave · saw · track · race · hide · coach · fall · mark

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. track — a song
  7. race — a contest
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mark — a grade
  10. race — the arms race
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mark — a trace
  14. fall — to drop
  15. track — a path
  16. race — humankind
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. fall — the season
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. track — to keep track
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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