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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. stock — goods
  3. craft — a skill
  4. pit — a hole
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. firm — steady
  7. mug — a cup
  8. stem — to come from
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mug — to rob
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. firm — a company
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — happy
  18. pit — in a race
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stock — shares
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. firm — decided
  24. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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