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

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. suit — in cards
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fall — the season
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. suit — to fit
  11. roll — a cake
  12. stand — to bear
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fall — to drop
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. suit — clothes
  18. roll — a list

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