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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 120 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: can · ball · coach · bound · racket · stock · saw · lean

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. lean — to bend
  6. saw — the tool
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bound — obliged
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bound — tied together
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ball — a great time
  15. stock — goods
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bound — certain
  21. ball — a dance
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stock — shares
  24. lean — thin

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