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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: last · firm · bear · pit · bass · stock · present · stick

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bass — the fish
  3. present — a gift
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. stock — shares
  7. firm — a company
  8. present — there
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — final
  13. last — finally
  14. pit — a hole
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stock — goods
  17. bear — the animal
  18. firm — decided
  19. bass — low music
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. firm — steady
  23. present — the time now
  24. pit — in a race

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