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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. foot — a measure
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. object — to protest
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. squash — to crush
  8. rest — a break
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stock — shares
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stock — goods
  14. suit — in cards
  15. object — a thing
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. rest — what's left
  20. suit — to fit
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. rest — what's left
  23. suit — clothes
  24. stem — to come from

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