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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: can · wax · coach · cap · mate · pit · wake · bay

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pit — in a race
  5. can — a tin
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pit — a hole
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. can — a tin
  18. cap — a hat
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. cap — of ice

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