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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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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: clip · firm · coach · pit · mark · swing · stand · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. clip — to cut
  3. mark — a trace
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. swing — to play on
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. swing — in golf
  9. clip — a video
  10. clip — for paper
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. firm — decided
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. swing — music
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pit — in a race
  20. firm — steady
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. mark — a grade
  24. firm — a company

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