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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. roll — a cake
  7. season — of the year
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bass — the fish
  10. suit — clothes
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. season — in sport
  18. craft — boats
  19. roll — a list
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. stock — goods
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bass — low music
  24. cabinet — ministers

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