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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: fall · pass · bore · coach · cold · stand · suit · straw

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. stand — on your feet
  2. cold — an illness
  3. bore — to tire
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cold — not warm
  8. pass — a permit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fall — the season
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fall — to drop
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. fall — to drop
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. suit — in cards
  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