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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. capital — a city
  5. club — a group
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stock — goods
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. club — for dancing
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. club — for golf
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. stock — shares
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. deal — to handle
  21. stem — to come from
  22. pitch — completely
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. deal — a big deal

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