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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. press — a publisher
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. press — newspapers
  9. stock — goods
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lean — thin
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. roll — a cake
  18. cue — a signal
  19. press — to push
  20. cue — for pool
  21. lean — to bend
  22. roll — a list
  23. stock — shares
  24. stand — on your feet

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