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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. stand — to bear
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. suit — clothes
  5. board — to get on
  6. stock — goods
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stock — shares
  11. fine — all right
  12. suit — to fit
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stem — to come from
  15. ground — a position
  16. board — a committee
  17. suit — in cards
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. ground — the earth
  24. stand — for spectators

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