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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: hand · stock · suit · spring · stand · cabinet · bowl · jam

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. spring — a coil
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. spring — of water
  12. stock — shares
  13. hand — in cards
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. hand — help
  17. spring — the season
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. stock — goods
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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