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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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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: wave · stand · fine · stick · coach · board · mate · bass

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. stand — to bear
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bass — low music
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. mate — to breed
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. board — to get on
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bass — the fish
  20. mate — a friend
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. fine — high quality
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. board — a committee

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