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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 120 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: stand · hide · rush · field · last · wave · pop · rock

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. last — to go on
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rock — music
  6. pop — music
  7. field — for sport
  8. field — a subject
  9. rush — hurry
  10. last — final
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. field — farmland
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. pop — to visit
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. rock — a stone
  21. last — finally
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pop — soda
  24. rock — to move gently

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