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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: cap · lie · racket · stock · last · cabinet · suit · pitcher

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. last — final
  6. stock — goods
  7. suit — to fit
  8. last — finally
  9. cap — of ice
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — in cards
  18. last — to go on
  19. cap — a hat
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. cap — a lid
  22. lie — to recline
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. lie — an untruth

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