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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.

Words on the sheet
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: object · plane · spring · mark · wind · mouse · coach · stand

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — a trace
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — a coil
  9. object — to protest
  10. spring — the season
  11. wind — moving air
  12. stand — to bear
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. object — a thing
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. object — an aim
  22. plane — a tool
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. wind — to turn a key

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