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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. sharp — clever
  3. stock — goods
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. dip — to sink
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. stock — shares
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. mine — for digging

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