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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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. pop — soda
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. pop — music
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. stand — to bear
  12. plane — a tool
  13. pop — to visit
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — certain
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bound — obliged
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. snap — to click

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