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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.

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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 · fall · bowl · bay · jam · wave · ball · field

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. ball — a dance
  6. field — a subject
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. field — for sport
  12. fall — to drop
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. field — farmland
  24. fall — the season

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