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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: ruler · game · stick · can · stock · row · pop · coach

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. pop — music
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. game — a match
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pop — to visit
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. row — to paddle
  9. can — a tin
  10. game — wild animals
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. can — a tin
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. row — a line
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. can — to be able to
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pop — soda
  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