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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: row · foot · cue · race · wave · wind · stand · field

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. row — a line
  6. wind — moving air
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. wind — moving air
  9. field — farmland
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. cue — a signal
  14. field — a subject
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. row — to paddle
  17. field — for sport
  18. race — humankind
  19. race — the arms race
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. foot — a measure
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. cue — for pool
  24. stand — to bear

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