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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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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: present · stand · tube · bulb · pass · sharp · land · coach

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. present — a gift
  4. sharp — clever
  5. stand — to bear
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. land — ground
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. present — the time now
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. land — a country
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. land — to come down
  20. tube — a container
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. present — there
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. pass — a permit

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