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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. land — to come down
  9. hand — help
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bass — low music
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bass — the fish
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. land — ground
  19. hand — in cards
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. land — a country
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wave — with your hand

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