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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 116 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: bear · squash · sharp · pass · trunk · stock · coach · pit

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pit — in a race
  3. stock — shares
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stock — goods
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. sharp — clever
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. squash — the sport
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — a hole
  19. squash — to crush
  20. pass — a permit
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. trunk — of a tree
  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