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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 · hide · board · snap · stock · tube · firm · can

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. can — to be able to
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. can — a tin
  6. stock — goods
  7. tube — a container
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. can — a tin
  10. board — a committee
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. firm — decided
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. firm — a company
  17. board — to get on
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. stock — shares
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. tube — the underground
  23. firm — steady
  24. board — a flat piece

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