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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: cabinet · dip · coach · suit · fan · land · wax · board

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. suit — clothes
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wax — to grow
  15. land — a country
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — to get on
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. land — to come down
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. land — ground

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