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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.

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: stand · coach · cap · racket · leaves · degree · nail · press

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. degree — from a university
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. press — to push
  9. degree — an amount
  10. degree — temperature
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. cap — of ice
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. cap — a lid
  15. press — newspapers
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. press — a publisher
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. stand — to bear
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cap — a hat
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. racket — for tennis

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