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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: wake · stock · wax · present · stick · coach · pitcher · deal

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. present — a gift
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wake — a trail
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. present — the time now
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. present — there
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stock — goods
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — to grow
  20. deal — to handle
  21. stock — shares
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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