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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: pass · stick · nail · scale · content · coach · bank · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. scale — in music
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — happy
  13. bank — for money
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. scale — size or range
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. content — the amount
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pass — a permit

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