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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. staff — employees
  3. spring — the season
  4. staff — employees
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. fine — high quality
  8. suit — to fit
  9. spring — of water
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. spring — a coil
  12. suit — in cards
  13. staff — a stick
  14. stand — to bear
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — a penalty

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