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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 116 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: bass · track · fan · coach · can · pound · rule · stock

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. can — a tin
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pound — a weight
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — a law
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bass — the fish
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. stock — goods
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. track — a path
  20. can — a tin
  21. stock — shares
  22. can — to be able to
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bass — low music

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