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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · squash · game · mug · stem · stock

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. firm — a company
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stock — shares
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. mug — a face
  8. game — a match
  9. firm — steady
  10. game — wild animals
  11. squash — the sport
  12. mug — a cup
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. squash — to crush
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stock — goods
  17. firm — decided
  18. squash — the vegetable

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