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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: racket · object · squash · spell · pound · stock · coach · stick

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. squash — the sport
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. squash — to crush
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. object — to protest
  9. spell — a short time
  10. stock — goods
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. object — a thing
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pound — a weight
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. spell — magic
  19. spell — letters
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stock — shares
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. pound — to hit hard

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