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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. land — ground
  2. can — to be able to
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. dip — to sink
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stock — goods
  7. land — a country
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stock — shares
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — in a road
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stem — to come from
  14. can — a tin
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — to bear
  17. firm — steady
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. can — a tin
  20. land — to come down
  21. firm — a company
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — a sauce
  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