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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. content — the amount
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. pit — a hole
  10. stem — to come from
  11. mate — to breed
  12. content — happy
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. mate — a friend
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. pitch — completely
  19. sharp — clever
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. mate — a partner
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — shares

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