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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
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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: toast · pitcher · safe · net · coach · sharp · bulb · stock

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. stock — goods
  3. toast — bread
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bulb — for light
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. bulb — for light
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. net — for catching
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stock — shares
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. sharp — clever
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. net — after costs
  24. toast — the most admired

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