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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: mine · mouse · stock · charge · nail · stem · mate · cue

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — for digging
  9. stock — shares
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mate — a friend
  12. charge — in control
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cue — a hint
  17. charge — a price
  18. cue — a signal
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mate — to breed
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. cue — for pool

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