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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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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: tube · face · present · fork · coach · stand · sharp · fall

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. sharp — clever
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fall — the season
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. present — the time now
  11. face — to confront
  12. present — a gift
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. stand — to bear
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. present — there
  18. fall — to drop
  19. face — to point toward
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. tube — the underground
  22. fall — to drop
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. face — part of the head

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