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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: press · stock · object · court · net · bank · stand · deal

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. object — an aim
  3. bank — for money
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. press — a publisher
  7. deal — to handle
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. object — to protest
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bank — for money
  12. object — a thing
  13. press — to push
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. net — for catching
  16. court — of a king
  17. bank — of a river
  18. court — for sport
  19. net — in sport
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. court — of law
  22. stock — shares
  23. press — newspapers
  24. net — after costs

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