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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: pass · coach · mine · club · leaves · stand · cue · spring

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. club — a group
  6. cue — a hint
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. pass — a permit
  10. spring — a coil
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. spring — of water
  14. spring — the season
  15. club — for dancing
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. cue — for pool
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cue — a signal
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. leaves — to go away

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