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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. mine — for digging
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. stock — goods
  13. squash — to crush
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. squash — the sport
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. pass — a permit
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. stand — to bear
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. stock — shares

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