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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · mine · coach · present · hide · tube · jam · pitch

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. present — the time now
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. present — there
  12. mine — for digging
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. pitch — completely
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. tube — a container
  19. present — a gift
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. tube — the underground
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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