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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stock — shares
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a grade
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. rock — music
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. snap — to click
  24. stem — to come from

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