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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. club — a group
  3. mug — to rob
  4. court — of law
  5. stock — shares
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stock — goods
  8. stem — to come from
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. court — for sport
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. court — of a king
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — government
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. mug — a face
  17. ground — crushed
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. ground — a position
  20. mug — a cup
  21. club — for golf
  22. ground — the earth
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. club — for dancing

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