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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: date · stand · straw · fine · coach · spring · bay · key

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. key — in music
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. key — for a lock
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. stand — to bear
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. fine — all right
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. spring — of water
  17. fine — high quality
  18. spring — the season
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. key — the most important part
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. date — the fruit

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