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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: stock · snap · capital · plane · pitcher · coach · kick · tube

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. tube — a container
  4. stock — shares
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. tube — the underground
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. kick — in football
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. capital — money
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. stock — goods
  20. capital — a city
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. plane — a tool
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. snap — to click

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