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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: coach · prune · object · stand · drill · board · degree · mate

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. object — an aim
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. drill — army training
  6. object — a thing
  7. board — to get on
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. prune — to trim
  10. degree — from a university
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a partner
  14. drill — the tool
  15. prune — to trim
  16. mate — a friend
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. board — a committee
  19. degree — an amount
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. drill — a practice
  23. object — to protest
  24. degree — temperature

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