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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: toast · stand · coach · cabinet · pass · calf · fall · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fall — the season
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. toast — bread
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — to bear
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fall — to drop
  17. ball — a dance
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. fall — to drop
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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