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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: racket · stock · firm · foot · bay · coach · band · game

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. stock — goods
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. game — a match
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. game — wild animals
  10. band — a music group
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. firm — steady
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. band — a ring
  17. foot — a measure
  18. stock — shares
  19. firm — a company
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. firm — decided
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. coach — a trainer

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