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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: mark · mouse · file · pop · calf · spring · coach · stand

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mark — a grade
  4. spring — a coil
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. spring — the season
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. pop — soda
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. file — a document
  13. file — a line of people
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pop — to visit
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. pop — music
  19. file — a tool
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stand — to bear
  22. spring — of water
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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