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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: stock · stand · kid · face · coach · nail · bowl · net

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. net — for catching
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — to confront
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. kid — to tease
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. net — after costs
  16. stock — goods
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. stock — shares
  19. face — part of the head
  20. net — in sport
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. stand — to bear
  24. coach — a trainer

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