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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — a trace
  4. present — there
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. content — the amount
  8. stock — shares
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. content — happy
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. club — for dancing
  16. stock — goods
  17. stand — to bear
  18. present — a gift
  19. club — for golf
  20. present — the time now
  21. club — a group
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mark — to pay attention

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