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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. root — of a word
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. root — of a plant
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. root — the cause
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bound — tied together
  16. deal — to handle
  17. race — humankind
  18. race — a contest
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bound — certain
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bound — obliged
  23. stand — to bear
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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