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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.

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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: dip · press · kick · fan · stem · stock · saw · ground

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. press — newspapers
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stock — goods
  11. press — to push
  12. press — a publisher
  13. dip — to sink
  14. kick — in football
  15. ground — the earth
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. stock — shares
  19. ground — crushed
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. ground — a position
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. stem — to come from
  24. fan — to cool the air

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