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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. board — to get on
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. chair — a leader
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. snap — to click
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. stock — shares
  10. stand — to bear
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. stock — goods
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — in a race
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. board — a committee

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