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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 120 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: deal · stand · row · sharp · net · mug · last · coach

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. last — finally
  3. row — a line
  4. mug — a face
  5. last — final
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. net — for catching
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. mug — a cup
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. net — after costs
  18. stand — to bear
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — clever
  21. mug — to rob
  22. last — to go on
  23. row — to paddle
  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