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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 120 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: stand · key · wax · stem · stock · perch · pit · bat

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. stock — goods
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stock — shares
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stem — to come from
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — in music
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. wax — to grow
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bat — the animal
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pit — a hole
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. stand — on your feet

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