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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: stand · coach · prune · ball · stick · race · fan · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. prune — to trim
  3. race — the arms race
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. ball — a great time
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stand — to bear
  9. race — humankind
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. race — a contest
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ball — a dance
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. lie — to recline

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