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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: kick · racket · object · bat · press · stock · firm · mark

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — shares
  3. object — to protest
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. object — an aim
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. stock — goods
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. kick — in football
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. press — newspapers
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. firm — a company
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. press — to push
  18. bat — the animal
  19. firm — steady
  20. object — a thing
  21. firm — decided
  22. press — a publisher
  23. mark — a trace
  24. kick — a thrill

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