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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: row · capital · hide · stand · spell · game · coach · bowl

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. spell — a short time
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. row — to paddle
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. spell — magic
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. capital — a city
  14. row — a line
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. spell — letters
  17. stand — to bear
  18. game — a match
  19. capital — money
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — to roll

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