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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.

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: pop · object · coach · squash · mate · stand · rush · wind

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. squash — to crush
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. pop — to visit
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — hurry
  7. squash — the sport
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. object — a thing
  13. stand — to bear
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. pop — soda
  16. object — an aim
  17. mate — a partner
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. mate — to breed
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. object — to protest
  23. mate — a friend
  24. stand — for spectators

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