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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: bay · stand · deal · stock · date · season · present · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stock — goods
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. season — of the year
  7. present — there
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stock — shares
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. present — the time now
  19. season — in sport
  20. deal — to handle
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. present — a gift
  24. date — the fruit

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