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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 116 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. stock — goods
  4. object — a thing
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bass — low music
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bass — the fish
  10. can — a tin
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — an aim
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. hand — help
  22. hand — in cards
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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