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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 120 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: fine · kick · shower · squash · suit · stock · coach · leaves

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. kick — in football
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fine — high quality
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. shower — rain
  10. stock — goods
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. squash — to crush
  13. fine — all right
  14. shower — to wash
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. squash — the sport
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. suit — to fit
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. leaves — to go away

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