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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
468
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: leaves · rush · stand · nail · scale · squash · band · coach

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. scale — size or range
  9. squash — to crush
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. rush — hurry
  12. squash — the sport
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. scale — in music
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. band — a music group
  22. band — a ring
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. stand — to bear

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