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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.

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: stock · firm · season · straw · pit · club · craft · nail

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. club — for golf
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. stock — goods
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. craft — boats
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. season — of the year
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. firm — a company
  14. club — a group
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. pit — a hole
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. season — in sport
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. stock — shares
  22. craft — a skill
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. pit — in a race

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