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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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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. last — final
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. last — finally
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stand — to bear
  10. field — for sport
  11. staff — employees
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. staff — a stick
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — farmland
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. court — of law
  20. last — to go on
  21. court — of a king
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. staff — employees
  24. court — for sport

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