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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — shares
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pop — music
  8. pass — a permit
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bound — tied together
  12. stem — to come from
  13. field — a subject
  14. bound — obliged
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bound — certain
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pop — to visit
  22. field — for sport
  23. field — farmland
  24. stem — of a plant

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