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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: stock · ruler · arm · coach · plane · content · bore · roll

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stock — shares
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. roll — a cake
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stock — goods
  16. content — the amount
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. content — happy
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. plane — a tool
  22. roll — a list
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — to tire

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