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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 124 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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. fall — to drop
  4. lean — thin
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. fall — the season
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wax — to grow
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. stand — to bear
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fall — to drop
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. lean — to bend
  24. jam — a tight spot

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