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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: coach · board · pitch · season · stand · lie · mark · bank

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. lie — to recline
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. board — to get on
  7. season — of the year
  8. pitch — completely
  9. stand — to bear
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bank — for money
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bank — for money
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mark — a trace
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. season — in sport
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. board — a committee
  24. coach — a trainer

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