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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.

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: wake · wave · date · craft · coach · capital · cabinet · mug

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. craft — a skill
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. capital — money
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — a face
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. mug — to rob
  18. capital — a city
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. craft — boats
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. wake — a trail
  24. date — the fruit

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