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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 120 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: stock · lash · firm · perch · key · suit · bass · press

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. firm — a company
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. suit — to fit
  5. firm — steady
  6. suit — in cards
  7. perch — the fish
  8. bass — the fish
  9. suit — clothes
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stock — goods
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. press — a publisher
  16. firm — decided
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. key — the most important part
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bass — low music
  21. key — in music
  22. press — to push
  23. press — newspapers
  24. key — for a lock

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