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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
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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: staff · row · content · swing · lean · coach · wave · drill

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. drill — army training
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — in golf
  8. content — happy
  9. content — the amount
  10. lean — to bend
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. swing — to play on
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. staff — employees
  16. row — to paddle
  17. drill — the tool
  18. row — a line
  19. staff — a stick
  20. lean — thin
  21. drill — a practice
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. staff — employees
  24. content — videos and posts

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