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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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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. cue — a hint
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. face — to point toward
  7. charge — a price
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. face — to confront
  10. face — part of the head
  11. cue — a signal
  12. scale — size or range
  13. bass — the fish
  14. scale — in music
  15. stock — goods
  16. charge — in control
  17. bass — low music
  18. drill — a practice
  19. stock — shares
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. charge — electricity
  22. drill — the tool
  23. cue — for pool
  24. drill — army training

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