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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 120 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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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: pit · nail · fall · stand · bay · bass · coach · lean

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bass — the fish
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fall — to drop
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. lean — thin
  9. fall — to drop
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pit — in a race
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. fall — the season
  17. stand — to bear
  18. lean — to bend
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — low music
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. pit — a hole

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