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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: snap · season · drill · racket · suit · can · jam · stock

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stock — goods
  3. suit — to fit
  4. can — a tin
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. snap — to click
  7. suit — in cards
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. drill — the tool
  10. season — of the year
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. season — in sport
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — army training
  18. stock — shares
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. can — to be able to
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. suit — clothes

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