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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stock — shares
  3. present — the time now
  4. lean — thin
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. lean — to bend
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. stem — to come from
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. present — a gift
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. present — there
  23. stock — goods
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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