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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 120 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: track · bank · racket · coach · swing · wake · tube · spell

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. swing — in golf
  3. track — a path
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. track — a song
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. spell — magic
  8. tube — a container
  9. swing — music
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. spell — a short time
  13. swing — to play on
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. spell — letters
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bank — for money
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. track — to keep track

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