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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: toast · prune · season · bowl · stand · stick · stock · present

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. toast — bread
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. stock — goods
  12. present — there
  13. season — in sport
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. present — the time now
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. present — a gift
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. prune — to trim
  23. stand — to bear
  24. season — of the year

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