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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. club — for golf
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. club — a group
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bound — obliged
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. plane — a tool
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stock — goods
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stock — shares
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bound — tied together
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bound — certain
  23. club — for dancing
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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