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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.

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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: pound · snap · suit · stem · rest · stock · can · firm

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. suit — in cards
  4. can — to be able to
  5. stock — shares
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. snap — to click
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. suit — to fit
  10. rest — a break
  11. pound — a weight
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stock — goods
  14. firm — steady
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. rest — what's left
  17. firm — a company
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. can — a tin
  20. stem — to come from
  21. firm — decided
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. suit — clothes
  24. can — a tin

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