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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: coach · bank · rash · stock · nail · stick

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bank — of a river
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rash — a series
  7. bank — for money
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rash — hasty
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bank — for money
  17. stock — shares
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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