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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: rule · stock · fan · safe · tube · coach · craft · pit

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. craft — boats
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. stock — goods
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pit — a hole
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. stock — shares
  11. tube — the underground
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. pit — in a race
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. craft — a skill
  20. rule — government
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. tube — a container
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stock — a soup base

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