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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: field · bowl · lash · nail · stand · shower · wave · suit

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. suit — clothes
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — to wash
  15. field — farmland
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. suit — in cards
  21. field — for sport
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. lash — to lash out

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