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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · pitcher · stock · scale · rock · cap · fine · season

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. fine — all right
  4. rock — music
  5. scale — in music
  6. cap — of ice
  7. rock — a stone
  8. season — in sport
  9. cap — a lid
  10. stock — goods
  11. firm — steady
  12. stock — shares
  13. cap — a hat
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. firm — a company
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. season — of the year
  18. fine — high quality
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. stock — a soup base

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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