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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
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: straw · suit · rock · stand · stock · bass · perch · content

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. content — happy
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. bass — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rock — music
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. perch — the fish
  14. rock — a stone
  15. content — the amount
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bass — low music
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stock — goods

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