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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — goods
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mug — a face
  7. mate — to breed
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. pitch — completely
  12. mate — a friend
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — to come from
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mug — to rob
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. stock — shares
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mug — a cup
  24. lie — an untruth

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