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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: hand · coach · fine · fan · cold · board · stand · safe

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fine — all right
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. cold — not warm
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. hand — help
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. hand — in cards
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. board — to get on
  19. stand — to bear
  20. board — a committee
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. cold — an illness
  23. fine — high quality
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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