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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: firm · can · club · wake · coach · fan · last · tube

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. firm — steady
  3. can — to be able to
  4. firm — a company
  5. last — final
  6. wake — a trail
  7. club — for dancing
  8. tube — a container
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. can — a tin
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. last — finally
  14. can — a tin
  15. firm — decided
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. last — to go on
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. club — a group
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. club — for golf

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