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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: stock · stem · pass · object · club · mark · date · wound

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. stock — shares
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — the fruit
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. club — for dancing
  10. mark — a trace
  11. object — a thing
  12. stock — goods
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wound — an injury
  15. object — to protest
  16. club — a group
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. wound — an injury
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. club — for golf
  23. mark — a grade
  24. object — an aim

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