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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
468
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 · temple · stock · clip · bulb · bay · bore · cap

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. clip — for paper
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. clip — to cut
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bore — to drill
  10. cap — of ice
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. stock — goods
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. clip — a video
  18. bulb — for light
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cap — a hat

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