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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 · coach · band · kick · present · kid · safe · can

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  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. stock — a soup base
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. kid — to tease
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — a gift
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. can — a tin
  10. stock — goods
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a music group
  13. kid — child
  14. can — to be able to
  15. kick — in football
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. present — there
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stock — shares
  23. can — a tin
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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