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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stock — goods
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — a stone
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. stock — shares
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bear — the animal
  15. land — a country
  16. land — ground
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. stem — to come from
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rock — music
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. land — to come down

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