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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: ground · coach · foot · bay · stand · hide · march · ruler

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. march — the month
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. march — the month
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — a measure
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. march — music
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — the earth
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. ground — a position
  24. foot — part of the body

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