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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: stock · rush · bank · rule · coach · bass · straw · ball

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bass — low music
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bank — for money
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bass — the fish
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. stock — shares
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stock — goods
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bank — for money
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. rule — government
  22. rule — a law
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. straw — dry grass

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