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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  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. bay — a horse colour
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. club — a group
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. plane — a tool
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. stock — shares
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. club — for dancing
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. club — for golf
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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