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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · stock · stem · chip · stick · straw

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. can — to be able to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. can — a tin
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. can — a tin
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stock — shares
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. stock — goods
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stem — to come from
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. chip — to eat
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. stock — a soup base

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