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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: hide · bore · bay · stand · coach · net · pound · object

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — a weight
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. net — in sport
  5. stand — to bear
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bore — to tire
  12. object — a thing
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. net — after costs
  17. object — to protest
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bore — to drill
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. object — an aim
  24. net — for catching

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