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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 116 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: firm · season · pound · lean · stock · stick · fine · net

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. stock — goods
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. firm — a company
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. net — for catching
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. fine — all right
  12. firm — decided
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. season — in sport
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stock — shares
  18. lean — to bend
  19. firm — steady
  20. net — in sport
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. net — after costs
  23. fine — high quality
  24. season — of the year

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