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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: club · stock · stand · dip · lash · perch · toast · season

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. club — for dancing
  3. stand — to bear
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. perch — the fish
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. season — in sport
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. stock — shares
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. season — of the year
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. stock — goods
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for golf
  21. dip — to sink
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. stand — on your feet

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