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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stock — shares
  7. pass — a permit
  8. drill — the tool
  9. craft — boats
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. drill — army training
  12. object — to protest
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. object — a thing
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. craft — a skill
  19. drill — a practice
  20. snap — to click
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. deal — to handle

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