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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: bass · stock · stand · mark · ball · pitcher · drill · coach

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bass — the fish
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. stock — shares
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bass — low music
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — the tool
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mark — a grade
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stand — to bear
  24. drill — army training

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