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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rest — a break
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stock — goods
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. object — an aim
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. object — a thing
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. drill — a practice
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. rest — what's left
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stock — shares
  21. drill — the tool
  22. rest — what's left
  23. object — to protest
  24. drill — army training

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