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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 · squash · stick · spell · mate · stock · suit · mouse

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. spell — letters
  6. mate — a partner
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. squash — to crush
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — a short time
  13. mate — a friend
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. mate — to breed
  19. stock — shares
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mouse — for a computer

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