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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 · stand · stock · cap · rock · tube · club · swing

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. swing — to play on
  6. cap — a lid
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — music
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. club — a group
  12. stock — shares
  13. club — for dancing
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. tube — the underground
  16. cap — of ice
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — in golf
  19. cap — a hat
  20. club — for golf
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rock — a stone
  23. tube — a container
  24. stock — goods

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