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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 120 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
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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: pit · firm · stock · squash · stand · bark · can · racket

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. firm — a company
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stock — goods
  7. stand — to bear
  8. pit — a hole
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. firm — decided
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stock — shares
  13. can — to be able to
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. can — a tin
  17. firm — steady
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. can — a tin
  21. bark — to shout
  22. pit — in a race
  23. squash — to crush
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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