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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: snap · field · stem · pass · fork · roll · ruler · stock

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. snap — to click
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. stock — goods
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. roll — a list
  11. stem — to come from
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — in a road
  16. pass — a permit
  17. roll — a cake
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. field — farmland
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. field — a subject
  23. field — for sport
  24. stock — shares

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