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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: stock · jam · bowl · suit · saw · rush · fan · coach

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. saw — the tool
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. suit — in cards
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. stock — goods
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rush — hurry
  22. stock — shares
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. bowl — to roll

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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