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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · lean · coach · bound · stand · net

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. 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. bound — certain
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bound — obliged
  4. net — for catching
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bound — tied together
  7. lean — to bend
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. net — after costs
  12. stand — to bear
  13. lean — thin
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. net — in sport
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. pit — in a race
  18. 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