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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: row · stand · field · coach · perch · can · bear · leaves

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  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. stand — on your feet
  2. can — to be able to
  3. field — farmland
  4. bear — the animal
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. row — a line
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. can — a tin
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. perch — the fish
  18. field — for sport
  19. row — to paddle
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. can — a tin
  23. row — a quarrel
  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