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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 120 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
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: season · stock · kid · stand · net · stick · staff · racket

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. net — in sport
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. kid — child
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. net — for catching
  17. net — after costs
  18. season — in sport
  19. stock — goods
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. season — of the year
  22. kid — to tease
  23. staff — employees
  24. stand — for spectators

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