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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: pop · tube · bay · stand · club · trunk · rest · coach

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. tube — the underground
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. club — for golf
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. club — for dancing
  11. stand — to bear
  12. pop — soda
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. club — a group
  16. rest — a break
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. tube — a container
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. pop — music

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