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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 116 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: lash · face · stem · net · leaves · ground · stock · fan

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stock — shares
  7. net — for catching
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. face — to confront
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. face — to point toward
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. net — after costs
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — a position
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. net — in sport
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. face — part of the head
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stock — goods

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