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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 116 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: stock · rush · wake · pop · spell · season · cabinet · board

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. spell — a short time
  3. rush — hurry
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. spell — letters
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. pop — music
  10. wake — a trail
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. spell — magic
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. board — to get on
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — in sport
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — shares
  21. board — a committee
  22. pop — to visit
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. pop — soda

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