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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
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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 · stand · wax · rest · lie · fall · ball · bark

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stand — to bear
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ball — a dance
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rest — a break
  9. fall — to drop
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. fall — the season
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bark — to shout
  21. lie — to recline
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. stand — on your feet

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