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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. rock — a stone
  3. fine — high quality
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. fine — all right
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stem — to come from
  9. file — a line of people
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. stock — goods
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. board — to get on
  16. file — a document
  17. board — a committee
  18. rock — music
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. file — a tool
  24. nail — for a hammer

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