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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: pass · stem · leaves · degree · can · saw · jam · stock

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. saw — the tool
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. can — a tin
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. can — a tin
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. degree — an amount
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. can — to be able to
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — shares
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. degree — from a university
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. degree — temperature

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