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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 120 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: lie · key · land · capital · wave · coach · stand · prune

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. land — to come down
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. capital — money
  6. stand — to bear
  7. land — a country
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. key — for a lock
  10. prune — to trim
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lie — to recline
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. land — ground
  16. capital — a city
  17. prune — to trim
  18. key — in music
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. key — the most important part
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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