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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: bat · coach · stand · pass · arm · hide · racket · firm

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bat — the animal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — decided
  16. pass — a permit
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. firm — a company
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. coach — a trainer

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