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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 116 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: cabinet · hand · cell · rock · nail · perch · stock · coach

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cell — in biology
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rock — a stone
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stock — shares
  11. perch — the fish
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — in cards
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. stock — goods
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rock — music

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