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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bulb · stand · pit · hide · land · rock · court · coach

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. court — of law
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. pit — in a race
  6. rock — music
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stand — to bear
  14. court — for sport
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bulb — for light
  20. land — to come down
  21. land — ground
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. court — of a king

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