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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: hide · stem · mate · file · present · tube · stock · arm

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. tube — the underground
  3. file — a document
  4. file — a tool
  5. mate — a partner
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. present — the time now
  9. mate — to breed
  10. present — there
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. mate — a friend
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — a container
  16. file — a line of people
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stock — goods
  22. present — a gift
  23. stock — shares
  24. hide — to keep secret

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