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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: snap · arm · ball · chip · squash · stem · mug · stock

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — a cup
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mug — to rob
  8. snap — to click
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. ball — a dance
  12. stem — to come from
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. squash — the sport
  18. chip — for betting
  19. stock — goods
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. ball — a great time
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stock — shares
  24. stem — a stem cell

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