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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: mate · stand · coach · straw · capital · cue · firm · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. cue — a signal
  4. firm — decided
  5. mate — a friend
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. cue — for pool
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — to point toward
  10. firm — steady
  11. capital — a city
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mate — a partner
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. firm — a company
  18. cue — a hint
  19. capital — money
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. mate — to breed
  23. stand — to bear
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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