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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
468
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: fine · board · stock · bass · coach · tube · mouse · spring

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. board — to get on
  3. bass — low music
  4. tube — the underground
  5. spring — of water
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. stock — shares
  11. tube — a container
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. board — a committee
  15. stock — goods
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. spring — a coil
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bass — the fish
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — high quality
  23. spring — the season
  24. coach — pulled by horses

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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