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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: roll · rock · stock · hide · branch · wax · coach · pitcher

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. wax — to grow
  7. stock — shares
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rock — music
  11. roll — a cake
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — a division
  19. rock — a stone
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. roll — a list
  24. pitcher — in baseball

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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