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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. stock — goods
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. tear — from crying
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. mug — a face
  10. stem — to come from
  11. mug — to rob
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. track — to keep track
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. track — a path
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. track — a song
  21. tear — to rip
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mug — a cup
  24. stock — shares

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