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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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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: stand · coach · hand · stock · pass · temple · fine · mark

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stock — goods
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. fine — all right
  5. hand — help
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. hand — in cards
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. fine — high quality
  19. mark — a grade
  20. stock — shares
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mark — a trace
  23. stand — to bear
  24. temple — side of the head

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