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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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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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. drill — the tool
  3. tube — the underground
  4. drill — army training
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. craft — a skill
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bank — for money
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. tube — a container
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. craft — boats
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bank — for money
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. drill — a practice
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. stock — goods
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. stock — shares
  24. pitch — completely

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