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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: mouse · stock · snap · pitcher · bore · jam · suit · coach

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. stock — shares
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. snap — to click
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. suit — to fit
  20. stock — goods
  21. suit — clothes
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. bore — to drill
  24. suit — in cards

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