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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. wake — a trail
  8. staff — a stick
  9. stock — shares
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — to bear
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — a practice
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. drill — the tool
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stock — goods

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