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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: present · rule · stock · rest · stem · hide · hand · fan

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — shares
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. rule — government
  8. present — there
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rule — a law
  12. rest — what's left
  13. present — a gift
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — in cards
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. rest — a break
  23. present — the time now
  24. fan — a supporter

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