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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: coach · stand · foot · pit · ball · tear · branch · nail

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. tear — from crying
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ball — a great time
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pit — a hole
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. ball — a dance
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. branch — a division
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. foot — a measure
  20. tear — from crying
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. tear — to rip
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. nail — for a hammer

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