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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: straw · bass · mark · lie · season · stock · squash · racket

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. stock — goods
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. season — of the year
  6. bass — low music
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mark — a grade
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. stock — shares
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. mark — a trace
  17. squash — the sport
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bass — the fish
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. season — in sport
  24. squash — to crush

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