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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: bay · season · stock · squash · fall · cue · fan · net

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. fall — the season
  3. fall — to drop
  4. squash — the sport
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. squash — to crush
  10. season — of the year
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. net — in sport
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. stock — shares
  15. cue — a hint
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cue — for pool
  18. fall — to drop
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. stock — goods
  21. season — in sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. net — after costs
  24. fan — a supporter

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