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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: foot · arm · firm · shower · coach · stock · charge · squash

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. firm — steady
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. squash — to crush
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. charge — electricity
  10. stock — goods
  11. squash — the sport
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. stock — shares
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. charge — in control
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. charge — a price
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. stock — a soup base

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