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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. firm — steady
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. firm — decided
  9. stem — to come from
  10. rock — music
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. firm — a company
  15. rock — a stone
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pitch — completely
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. stock — shares
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. stock — goods

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