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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: cap · suit · stock · stand · lean · club · bat · squash

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. squash — the sport
  5. suit — clothes
  6. club — a group
  7. suit — to fit
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a lid
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — thin
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — goods
  16. stand — to bear
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — for dancing
  19. cap — a hat
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. suit — in cards
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — to crush
  24. stock — a soup base

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