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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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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — a position
  8. bank — for money
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bank — for money
  11. rock — a stone
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. stand — to bear
  14. spell — letters
  15. bank — of a river
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — music
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. ground — the earth
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. spell — a short time

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