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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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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: saw · mark · stock · stem · stand · pop · cabinet · racket

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pop — soda
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stem — to come from
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pop — music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. pop — to visit
  11. mark — a trace
  12. stock — shares
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stock — goods
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mark — a grade
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mark — to pay attention

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