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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: stock · suit · bore · net · land · deal · rash · dip

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. net — after costs
  3. dip — to sink
  4. deal — to handle
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bore — to tire
  7. net — in sport
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. stock — goods
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. net — for catching
  17. rash — a series
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bore — to drill
  21. land — to come down
  22. land — a country
  23. stock — shares
  24. land — ground

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