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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. track — a song
  4. board — to get on
  5. stock — goods
  6. rest — a break
  7. bank — for money
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bank — of a river
  10. track — a path
  11. pit — a hole
  12. lean — thin
  13. stem — to come from
  14. track — to keep track
  15. stock — shares
  16. lean — to bend
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — a committee
  21. pit — in a race
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bank — for money
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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