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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 · plane · toast · content · hand · season · suit · bass

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. hand — help
  3. hand — in cards
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. toast — bread
  6. suit — clothes
  7. stock — shares
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. season — of the year
  10. bass — low music
  11. suit — in cards
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — happy
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. suit — to fit
  21. plane — a tool
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. season — in sport
  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