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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: coach · mine · cabinet · stem · stand · trunk · key · mouse

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. key — the most important part
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stem — to come from
  18. key — in music
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. key — for a lock
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. cabinet — ministers

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