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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 116 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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stock — shares
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stock — goods
  6. race — the arms race
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bank — of a river
  9. net — after costs
  10. bank — for money
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stand — to bear
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. stem — to come from
  20. net — in sport
  21. net — for catching
  22. race — a contest
  23. race — humankind
  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