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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: hand · coach · plane · stock · ground · stand · bear · mate

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. stock — shares
  3. plane — a tool
  4. stock — goods
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ground — a position
  11. mate — a friend
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bear — the animal
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ground — the earth
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a partner
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. stand — to bear
  23. hand — in cards
  24. hand — help

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