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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 116 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: wake · firm · coach · stick · season · stand · bay · cell

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. season — of the year
  8. cell — a phone
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. firm — a company
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. firm — decided
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. season — in sport
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. wake — a trail
  21. cell — in biology
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. firm — steady

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