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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · key · pound · coach · stock · swing · arm · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. ball — a dance
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — music
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pound — a weight
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bear — the animal
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. stock — goods
  15. swing — to play on
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. key — for a lock
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — shares
  22. key — in music
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. arm — a part of something

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