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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: bear · stand · nail · cell · stock · coach · can · press

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bear — the animal
  6. can — to be able to
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. stock — goods
  10. cell — in biology
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. can — a tin
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stock — shares
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. press — a publisher
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cell — a phone
  22. press — to push
  23. can — a tin
  24. bear — the animal

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