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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: coach · bank · wax · mine · club · pit · bulb · chair

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. club — for dancing
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wax — to grow
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. club — for golf
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bank — of a river
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bank — for money
  17. pit — in a race
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. chair — a leader
  21. bank — for money
  22. mine — for digging
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pit — a hole

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