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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: coach · stock · saw · face · suit · branch · cabinet · bass

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. face — part of the head
  3. branch — a division
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bass — the fish
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. stock — shares
  11. face — to point toward
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bass — low music
  14. saw — the tool
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. saw — the tool
  18. stock — goods
  19. suit — to fit
  20. face — to confront
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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