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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.

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: season · stock · stand · squash · ball · stick · craft · mate

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stand — to bear
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. stock — goods
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a friend
  9. craft — a skill
  10. stock — shares
  11. season — in sport
  12. craft — boats
  13. ball — a great time
  14. mate — a partner
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ball — a dance
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. season — of the year
  20. squash — the sport
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. squash — to crush
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. season — to add flavour

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