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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. firm — steady
  4. stock — goods
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. foot — a measure
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. firm — a company
  10. stock — shares
  11. stem — to come from
  12. tube — a container
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. tube — the underground
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. rush — hurry
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. firm — decided

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