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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: plane · coach · ball · pit · race · foot · stock · fan

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  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. race — a contest
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. ball — a dance
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. plane — a tool
  11. ball — a great time
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. pit — a hole
  14. race — the arms race
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pit — in a race
  17. stock — shares
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. foot — a measure
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. race — humankind
  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