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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: stock · cabinet · stand · bass · suit · season · lash · game

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. season — in sport
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stock — goods
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. suit — in cards
  13. stock — shares
  14. suit — clothes
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. game — a match
  18. game — wild animals
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. stand — to bear
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. stand — on your feet

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