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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 · tube · rule · bay · leaves · file · wave · racket

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. file — a document
  3. tube — a container
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. tube — the underground
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. rule — government
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rule — a law
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. file — a tool

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