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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.

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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: foot · last · stock · bowl · deal · squash · fan · coach

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. foot — a measure
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. squash — to crush
  10. last — finally
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. stock — goods
  15. squash — the sport
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. stock — shares
  22. last — to go on
  23. last — final
  24. coach — a trainer

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