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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: mark · stock · perch · fall · safe · ball · pit · stem

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. stock — shares
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. perch — the fish
  6. ball — a great time
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fall — to drop
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. mark — a trace
  15. pit — in a race
  16. stem — to come from
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fall — the season
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. mark — a grade
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. stock — goods
  24. pit — a hole

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