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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. prune — to trim
  3. snap — to click
  4. file — a document
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. file — a line of people
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stock — shares
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stem — to come from
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. rock — music
  22. file — a tool
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bank — for money

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