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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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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: craft · bay · stand · bat · fall · cell · stock · suit

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fall — the season
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fall — to drop
  10. cell — in biology
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cell — a phone
  16. craft — boats
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bat — the animal
  21. stock — goods
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. suit — to fit
  24. stand — to bear

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