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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 · clip · mark · plane · field · stick · mug · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. clip — a video
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. field — a subject
  10. mug — a face
  11. plane — a tool
  12. field — farmland
  13. mug — to rob
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mug — a cup
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mark — a grade
  19. field — for sport
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a trace
  22. clip — for paper
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. clip — to cut

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