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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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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: stand · track · toast · court · swing · coach

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. stand — to bear
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. track — a song
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. court — of law
  9. court — of a king
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — to play on
  13. swing — music
  14. toast — bread
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. track — to keep track
  18. court — for sport

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