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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: coach · key · rock · lie · stock · wind · stem · firm

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. firm — steady
  4. stock — goods
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stock — shares
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. stem — to come from
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. rock — music
  15. wind — moving air
  16. firm — decided
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. key — in music
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. key — the most important part
  21. firm — a company
  22. wind — moving air
  23. key — for a lock
  24. coach — a trainer

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