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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. stand — to bear
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. racket — for tennis

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