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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: ball · bound · dip · straw · coach · stock · present · tube

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. tube — the underground
  3. present — there
  4. bound — obliged
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. tube — a container
  8. ball — a great time
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. present — a gift
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. present — the time now
  14. stock — shares
  15. bound — tied together
  16. dip — to sink
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bound — certain
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. stock — goods
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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