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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bass — low music
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — shares
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. object — to protest
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bass — the fish
  13. ground — crushed
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. ground — a position
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. ground — the earth
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — a thing
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to confront
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. face — to point toward
  24. stand — to bear

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