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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: ball · stand · mine · coach · cue · face · plane · nail

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. face — to confront
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. face — part of the head
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. cue — for pool
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. face — to point toward
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. cue — a hint
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. plane — a tool
  22. ball — a dance
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mine — for digging

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