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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: ruler · stand · bat · coach · lean · club · toast · suit

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. suit — to fit
  4. stand — to bear
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. club — for dancing
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. lean — to bend
  9. toast — bread
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. club — for golf
  12. suit — in cards
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. suit — clothes
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bat — the animal
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. club — a group
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. lean — thin

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