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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: racket · coach · rest · march · wax · leaves · wake · craft

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. rest — a break
  3. craft — a skill
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. wake — a trail
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. march — the month
  11. march — the month
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. march — music
  19. craft — boats
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wax — to grow
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wax — for sculpting

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