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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. stand — to bear
  4. row — a line
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — low music
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. content — the amount
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. content — happy

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