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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.

Make a worksheet

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: coach · last · wake · hide · ground · stand · bay · nail

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wake — a trail
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. last — finally
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ground — a position
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. ground — crushed
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. last — final
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. ground — the earth
  24. nail — for a hammer

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