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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: stock · mug · ruler · fall · coach · bowl · leaves · snap

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. snap — to click
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stock — shares
  9. fall — to drop
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mug — to rob
  13. stock — goods
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. fall — the season
  20. mug — a face
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. stock — a soup base

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