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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: band · stock · suit · pit · net · bay · fall · coach

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. stock — goods
  3. fall — the season
  4. net — in sport
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. fall — to drop
  8. band — a music group
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. net — for catching
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pit — a hole
  17. suit — to fit
  18. band — a ring
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. net — after costs
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pit — in a race
  23. stock — shares
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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