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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 · can · deal · season · march · rush · racket · fan

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  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. march — the month
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. season — in sport
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stock — shares
  7. rush — hurry
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. can — a tin
  10. march — the month
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. march — music
  14. stock — goods
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. can — a tin
  19. deal — to handle
  20. season — of the year
  21. can — to be able to
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. stock — a soup base

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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