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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: court · sharp · band · dip · stand · coach · chair · plane

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. stand — to bear
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. plane — a tool
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of law
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. sharp — clever
  15. band — a music group
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. chair — a leader
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. band — a ring
  23. court — of a king
  24. dip — to dunk

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