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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 · club · rule · safe · tube · stand · bark · toast

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. stand — to bear
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rule — government
  9. club — for golf
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bark — to shout
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. tube — the underground
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. toast — bread
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — a group
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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