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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: board · coach · stock · calf · pass · spell · hide · fall

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. board — to get on
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fall — the season
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. spell — letters
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. spell — magic
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. stock — shares
  16. fall — to drop
  17. spell — a short time
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pass — a permit
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stock — goods
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pass — to spend time
  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