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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: stand · fork · hide · coach · bear · band · present · mouse

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. present — there
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. present — a gift
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. present — the time now
  10. fork — in a road
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a ring
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. bear — the animal
  22. band — a music group
  23. bear — the animal
  24. hide — to keep secret

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