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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 116 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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Word bank
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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. craft — a skill
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bear — the animal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. kid — child
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. craft — boats
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bear — the animal
  21. kid — to tease
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. craft — a handicraft

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