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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 · suit · bound · field · straw · calf · bay · season

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  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. bound — tied together
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. season — in sport
  5. bound — certain
  6. stock — goods
  7. field — a subject
  8. field — farmland
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. suit — to fit
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bound — obliged
  13. suit — in cards
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. field — for sport
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. season — of the year
  19. stock — shares
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. suit — clothes
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. stock — a soup base

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