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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 116 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: calf · stand · race · rash · bowl · mate · cap · coach

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. mate — a friend
  9. rash — hasty
  10. cap — of ice
  11. race — the arms race
  12. race — humankind
  13. mate — to breed
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. race — a contest
  22. cap — a hat
  23. calf — a young animal
  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