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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 120 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: bank · pass · suit · stock · present · coach · chair · rock

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. chair — a leader
  3. suit — clothes
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bank — of a river
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — shares
  10. bank — for money
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bank — for money
  15. present — a gift
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. present — there
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pass — a permit
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. suit — in cards
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rock — a stone
  24. present — the time now

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