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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.

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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: key · bark · plane · stand · net · season · coach · pass

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. net — for catching
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. net — in sport
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. key — the most important part
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. key — in music
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. plane — a tool
  17. season — in sport
  18. pass — a permit
  19. key — for a lock
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bark — to shout
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. net — after costs

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