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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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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: coach · hide · key · nail · stand · sharp · net · row

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. net — in sport
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. key — the most important part
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. net — for catching
  9. key — for a lock
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. row — to paddle
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. row — a line
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — clever
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. key — in music
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. net — after costs
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. row — a quarrel

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