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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 120 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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. field — a subject
  4. cue — a signal
  5. stem — to come from
  6. drill — a practice
  7. pop — soda
  8. stand — to bear
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. field — for sport
  11. drill — the tool
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. cue — a hint
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pop — music
  19. cue — for pool
  20. field — farmland
  21. drill — army training
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pop — to visit
  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