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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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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: perch · stock · track · press · stem · roll · band · cabinet

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. press — newspapers
  6. band — a ring
  7. stem — to come from
  8. track — to keep track
  9. roll — a list
  10. band — a music group
  11. track — a path
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. stock — shares
  15. perch — the fish
  16. stock — goods
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. roll — a cake
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. press — to push
  24. track — a song

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