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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.

Make a worksheet

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: suit · stock · net · bass · fan · march · bear · bulb

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. suit — clothes
  4. net — for catching
  5. bass — low music
  6. stock — goods
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. stock — shares
  10. march — the month
  11. bear — the animal
  12. march — the month
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. net — after costs
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — the fish
  21. suit — to fit
  22. march — music
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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