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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: wave · lean · ball · pitcher · foot · mug · coach · stand

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. foot — a measure
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. stand — to bear
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. lean — thin
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. mug — a face
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mug — to rob
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. ball — a great time
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. lean — to bend

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