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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: racket · board · stock · pound · cabinet · coach · shower · object

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. stock — shares
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. board — a committee
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. object — a thing
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. shower — rain
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. pound — a weight
  17. object — an aim
  18. stock — goods
  19. object — to protest
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. shower — to wash
  24. racket — for tennis

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