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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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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wake — a trail
  5. mine — for digging
  6. suit — clothes
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. bank — of a river
  9. season — of the year
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. bank — for money
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. stand — to bear
  20. snap — to click
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bank — for money
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. season — in sport

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