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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: pass · coach · present · hand · bound · cue · fork · stock

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — there
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bound — certain
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. cue — for pool
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. present — the time now
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. cue — a hint
  13. stock — shares
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. hand — help
  18. bound — tied together
  19. fork — in a road
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bound — obliged
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. hand — in cards

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