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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 116 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: cap · rest · craft · suit · cabinet · squash · stock · kick

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — clothes
  3. kick — in football
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cap — of ice
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. rest — what's left
  12. suit — to fit
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. stock — shares
  16. craft — boats
  17. cap — a lid
  18. squash — to crush
  19. rest — a break
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cap — a hat
  22. squash — the sport
  23. stock — goods
  24. craft — a skill

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