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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
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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: bear · scale · court · season · mug · field · can · stock

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. mug — to rob
  4. court — of law
  5. can — to be able to
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — of the year
  8. scale — in music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. court — for sport
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. mug — a cup
  14. field — a subject
  15. field — for sport
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. bear — the animal
  19. scale — size or range
  20. field — farmland
  21. court — of a king
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. stock — goods
  24. mug — a face

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