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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: stick · stock · land · prune · pass · safe · suit · spring

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. spring — the season
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stock — shares
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stock — goods
  11. land — ground
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. suit — in cards
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. spring — of water
  17. land — to come down
  18. suit — to fit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. suit — clothes
  22. land — a country
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. spring — a coil

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