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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 116 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. stem — to come from
  3. board — to get on
  4. net — in sport
  5. fork — in a road
  6. net — after costs
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. suit — to fit
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. board — a committee
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — shares
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. sharp — clever
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. shower — rain
  20. suit — in cards
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. suit — clothes
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. shower — to wash

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