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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rock · coach · chair · root · wave · rush · mug · racket

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. chair — a leader
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mug — to rob
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. mug — a face
  11. rock — music
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mug — a cup
  14. root — of a plant
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — the cause
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. rush — hurry
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. rock — a stone
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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