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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.

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: stock · leaves · kick · cap · saw · squash · bass · can

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. stock — goods
  7. cap — of ice
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. stock — shares
  10. kick — in football
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bass — low music
  13. cap — a hat
  14. saw — the tool
  15. squash — the sport
  16. saw — the tool
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. cap — a lid
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. can — to be able to
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bass — the fish

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