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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: mine · stand · fall · suit · toast · stick · hide · coach

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mine — for digging
  7. toast — bread
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. suit — to fit
  12. fall — the season
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stand — to bear
  17. suit — in cards
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. suit — clothes
  24. stand — for spectators

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