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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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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. spell — a short time
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. spell — letters
  10. mug — to rob
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. mug — a face
  13. mark — a grade
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. spell — magic
  17. stock — goods
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mark — a trace
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. stem — to come from

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