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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
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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: toast · stand · coach · land · season · plane · squash · snap

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. stand — to bear
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. land — ground
  5. season — of the year
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. squash — the sport
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. land — a country
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. plane — a tool
  16. snap — to click
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. squash — to crush
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. season — in sport
  24. toast — bread

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