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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 120 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: coach · can · stock · pound · trunk · lash · plane · net

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. can — a tin
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. stock — goods
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. net — for catching
  19. can — to be able to
  20. stock — shares
  21. can — a tin
  22. plane — a tool
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. net — in sport

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