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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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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: net · season · stick · land · cabinet · lean · stand · ball

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. lean — to bend
  4. net — after costs
  5. season — of the year
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — thin
  8. stand — to bear
  9. season — in sport
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. land — a country
  13. net — in sport
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ball — a dance
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. land — ground
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. net — for catching
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. land — to come down
  24. cabinet — ministers

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