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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 116 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: stand · rock · clip · spring · coach · rush · pass · fan

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. clip — for paper
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rock — a stone
  9. clip — to cut
  10. clip — a video
  11. rush — hurry
  12. spring — the season
  13. spring — of water
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. spring — a coil
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rush — a thrill

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