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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: stock · fine · cell · spell · track · perch · stand · tear

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. perch — the fish
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. fine — high quality
  5. tear — to rip
  6. cell — in biology
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. tear — from crying
  9. cell — a phone
  10. stock — shares
  11. spell — magic
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. spell — a short time
  15. track — a path
  16. fine — all right
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. stand — to bear
  20. track — a song
  21. track — to keep track
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. spell — letters
  24. tear — from crying

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