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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: coach · nail · present · pop · capital · net · stand · pound

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. present — the time now
  5. pop — soda
  6. net — after costs
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. present — there
  11. net — in sport
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. capital — money
  14. pop — to visit
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. net — for catching
  17. present — a gift
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pop — music
  20. capital — a city
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. stand — to bear

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