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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: lean · stick · row · mate · coach · bore · stand · court

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. court — of a king
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. row — a line
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bore — to tire
  15. court — for sport
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bore — to drill
  19. court — of law
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lean — thin
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mate — a partner
  24. lean — to bend

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