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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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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: mark · pass · rule · sharp · stock · coach · kid · can

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. kid — to tease
  3. mark — a trace
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. can — a tin
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. can — to be able to
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. kid — child
  20. pass — a permit
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. mark — a grade
  24. can — a tin

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