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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: spring · coach · swing · rush · plane · key · stand · pit

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. key — in music
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rush — hurry
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. spring — a coil
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. key — for a lock
  11. spring — the season
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. swing — music
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. swing — in golf
  18. pit — a hole
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. swing — to play on
  21. pit — in a race
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. spring — of water
  24. key — the most important part

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