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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: coach · hide · firm · swing · straw · stand · tube · nail

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. tube — a container
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. firm — a company
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. stand — to bear
  9. tube — the underground
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. firm — decided
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. firm — steady
  24. hide — to keep secret

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