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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: bay · can · sharp · rock · coach · plane · stand · tube

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. sharp — clever
  3. tube — a container
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. plane — a tool
  8. tube — the underground
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. can — a tin
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. can — to be able to
  15. rock — music
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. can — a tin
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. coach — a trainer

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