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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: bat · stick · court · stock · sharp · suit

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. court — of a king
  5. suit — to fit
  6. stock — goods
  7. court — for sport
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. suit — in cards
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. court — of law
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. suit — clothes
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. sharp — clever

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