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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: pit · stand · race · pass · chest · bear · roll · coach

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. race — a contest
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bear — the animal
  5. chest — of your body
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. pit — in a race
  8. roll — a list
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. chest — a box
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. stand — to bear
  14. roll — a cake
  15. pit — a hole
  16. race — humankind
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pass — a permit
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. race — the arms race
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. chest — of your body
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bear — the animal

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