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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. staff — a stick
  3. root — of a word
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stand — to bear
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. staff — employees
  8. fall — to drop
  9. staff — employees
  10. root — the cause
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. mate — a friend
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. fall — to drop
  20. root — of a plant
  21. mate — a partner
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. mate — to breed

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