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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
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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: ruler · perch · shower · pass · stock · coach · court · mate

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. shower — to wash
  4. stock — goods
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mate — a partner
  9. court — of law
  10. pass — a permit
  11. stock — shares
  12. court — for sport
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — rain
  15. mate — to breed
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. court — of a king
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mate — a friend

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