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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: suit · coach · mark · craft · wax · bowl · cue · date

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. suit — clothes
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — a skill
  8. date — the fruit
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — to grow
  11. cue — a hint
  12. suit — to fit
  13. cue — a signal
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mark — a grade
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cue — for pool
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. mark — a trace
  23. craft — boats
  24. bowl — a football final

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