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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: stand · racket · saw · wind · trunk · pop · coach · safe

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. pop — to visit
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stand — to bear
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wind — moving air
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. pop — soda
  18. saw — the tool
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wind — moving air

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