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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: racket · spell · hide · field · board · coach · wave · leaves

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. spell — letters
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. spell — magic
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. field — farmland
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. spell — a short time
  17. board — a committee
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. field — for sport
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. field — a subject

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