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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. can — to be able to
  3. swing — in golf
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. present — the time now
  6. stock — shares
  7. swing — to play on
  8. stock — goods
  9. staff — employees
  10. can — a tin
  11. staff — a stick
  12. stem — to come from
  13. swing — music
  14. prune — to trim
  15. present — a gift
  16. mug — to rob
  17. staff — employees
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mug — a face
  21. can — a tin
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. present — there
  24. stem — of a plant

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